


We All Have To Do What's Necessary

by Waxwing



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Smallville, Superman - Fandom
Genre: AU, Alien Invasion, Alternate Universe, Anal Fisting, Anal Sex, Blood Kink, F/M, M/M, Multi, Rape/Non-con Elements, S&M, Sexual Slavery, Threesome - F/M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-28
Updated: 2014-10-01
Packaged: 2018-02-06 14:56:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 17
Words: 57,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1862049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Waxwing/pseuds/Waxwing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which the Earth is conquered by Kryptonians and Lionel Luthor sells his son into sexual slavery to prove his allegiance to his new alien over lords, Jor-El is a dick, Zod is at least an honest monster and if there's one thing Brainiac is good for it's exposition. </p><p>The character list will be updated as new characters appear.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Lex

“Do not make this any harder than it already is.” His father hisses into the icy silence of the limo. Lex does not, will not, look at him. Instead he keeps his gaze trained out the window, surveying the hollow shells of what used to be the homes of the poorer residents of Metropolis. No one lives here any more, all but the most powerful of the cities citizens have been rounded up by the Kryptonians. Those who were perceived as authority figures were made prisoners in their homes and told that if they submitted to their new leaders they would be allowed to remain as figure heads, if they did not submit they would be killed. This was all apparently a part of the plan of someone named Jor-El, who wanted the remainder of the invasion to involve as little blood shed as possible and thought that would be best accomplished by gaining control of Earth’s leaders. Lex wished that he had been more surprised at how little bending it took before his father broke, but Lionel Luthor had always been a coward at heart. 

“I’m sorry,” he says with absolutely no inflection in his voice. “Here I am so caught up in my own feelings that I didn’t give a single thought to how much pressure pimping your own child out to suck up to your new alien overlords was putting on you. How selfish of me.” 

“You think I want to be doing this!” Lex feels Lionel’s hand on his arm. 

“I don’t think you’ll lose any sleep over it.” He finally turns and fixes his father with his most spirit withering glare. Lionel’s face contorts with something remotely resembling human guilt for a fraction of a second before he goes on the defensive. 

“I’ve been assured that you won’t be harmed and that you’ll be well treated.” 

You're taking your enemies at their word?” Lex scoffs. “You really are desperate, aren’t you?” 

“Lex!” Lionel's grip on his arm tightens and he shakes him slightly as though to make him come to his senses. “The world has changed, it’s not going back and this...gesture of good faith is going to help secure our family a comfortable place in that new world order.” 

“You think that for me a ‘comfortable place’ is under some alien brat?” He jerks his arm out of Lionel’s grip but doesn’t break eye contact. 

“We ALL need to do what’s necessary, we can’t fight this, all we can do is survive it.” He delivers that last line in his ‘this conversation is over’ tone and then it’s his turn to fix his gaze on the decimated landscape outside the vehicle. 

“Has anyone else been asked to make a similar ‘gesture of good faith’?” Lex presses and then Lionel snaps the way he always does when Lex presses. 

“I TOLD you to let me do the talking! I TOLD you that I didn’t even want you to be present during the negotiations but YOU insisted on being there! If you'd just done as you were told for once in your GODDAMNED life you would never have caught the boys eye!” 

At this Lex goes silent, partly because it’s true and partly because his fathers voice cracks at the end with what sounds like a barely suppressed sob...and he’s never heard his fathers voice do that before. Lionel looks out his window and Lex looks out his and they don’t say anything for the rest of the ride. 

What Lionel had referred to as “negotiations” had actually been Jor-El sending his son Kal-El to the Luthor estate to tell them what the terms of their new “arrangement” would be. Lionel had told Lex that he didn’t want him there because he thought he might “say something stupid and get us killed” but Lex knew that the real reason was that his pride was hurt, he didn’t want his son to see him groveling before someone who didn’t even look old enough to drink. Lex thought that maybe Jor-El had sent his teenage son to conduct business with them as an insult but then decided not. 

The way the boy conducted himself made it clear that he wasn’t new to diplomatic relations. Everything in his manner was entirely professional...except the way his eyes lingered on Lex and the way he smiled when Lex asked questions. Lex had been the only one asking questions as his father seemed to have lost the ability to say anything other than “yes, sir” and “of course, sir.” Once the boy had left Lionel had gone off to nurse his wounded pride with a bottle of brandy and Lex had gone and taken a scalding hot shower in an effort to wash away the violated feeling the entire interaction had given him. He had spent the next few days trying to put the entire thing out of his mind, as much as one could put the knowledge that ones father was now complicit in an alien invasion out of ones mind, and had nearly succeeded until three days later when a Kryptonian messenger had arrived. 

The messenger had demanded to speak to his father alone and they had gone into Lionel's private study. Lex waited outside for twenty grueling minutes until his father emerged looking both troubled and contemplative. 

“What was that about?” Lex pried when his father showed no signs of being about to volunteer the information. 

“Well, son,” Lionel took a deep breath. “Apparently you made quite an impression on Jor-El’s boy when he came here the other day.” 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” 

“Well, apparently, the boys fifteenth birthday is coming up and...apparently, it’s customary for upper class Kryptonian parents to mark the occasion of their male children’s fifteenth birthdays by granting them the gift of their first ...concubine.” When Lionel showed no sign of continuing to speak, Lex furrowed his brow. 

“Well,” Lionel sighed as though he genuinely did not want to say the words that were about to come out of his mouth. “You apparently left such a favorable impression on young Kal-El that Jor-El has decided that the...honor of being the boys...'birthday present' should go to you.” 

“...and you said no, right?” Lex asked knowing he wouldn’t like the answer. 

“Well, the messenger framed it as Jor-El asking my permission but he also made it clear that my giving my permission was now one of the terms of our alliance and that refusing to do so will be seen as an act of hostility.” Lionel laughed bitterly. “And we’ve both seen how these..creatures react to hostile gestures.” 

“And...” Lex struggled to speak as his brain struggled to process what he was hearing because he COULD NOT possibly be hearing what he was hearing. “And Jor-El doesn’t feel the need to ask my permission before making me into a sex slave?” 

“No, apparently rather or not you consent is irrelevant.” 

Lex groped in his mind for something, anything, to say but there simply were no words. 

“I’ve been informed,” Lionel went on, his tone deliberately even and steady. “That in two weeks time, on the boys fifteenth birthday, I and some others are to go to the Kryptonian stronghold just outside the city to sign what they call an “official declaration of alliance.” If by then I’ve...decided to grant Jor-El my permission I am to bring you with me and before I’m allowed to sign the declaration I’ll be...asked to sign an additional document relinquishing you into Jor-El’s custody...” 

“Custody?” Lex cut him off “I’m twentythree!” 

“Yet another thing that is not a factor here.” Lionel smiled humorlessly and continued. “When that document and the declaration have been signed, I and the others will take our leave and then Jor-El will officially present you to his son and....and that will be that.” 

“I’m not going.” Lex could hear how juvenile he sounded but sincerely couldn’t think of anything else to say. 

“What good would that do?” There was a rare hint of sympathy in Lionel’s voice. “If I show up without you, they’ll kill me and then hunt you down and kill you...which we both know would require virtually no effort on their part.” 

“So...so you’re just going to LET them...” 

“Let them?” Lionel’s eyebrows rose. “Are you under the impression that I have a choice in the matter?” 

Lex could only gape, unable to remember ever being quite so at a loss for words. 

“Jor-El is quite the doting father and is determined to give his son what he wants.” Lionel’s look of genuine pity burned Lex like acid. “I...I’m sorry, son, I really am.” 

“Sorry?” Lex clenched his jaw and told himself that those weren’t tears he felt prickling at the backs of his eyes. “You’re...sorry?” Something in Lex snapped and he lunged at his father, who was lucky enough to be just far enough away that Lex couldn’t get to him before his personal bodyguards swarmed on him. Lex was dragged kicking and screaming to his room and locked inside...and not let out for the next two weeks. The next time Lex saw Lionel he was flanked by two armed security guards, he informed Lex matter-of-factly that they would be leaving for the stronghold in an hour and told him that he was to bathe and dress. 

There were many choice words that Lex would have liked to say to his father but he knew that none of them would change his fate so he stomped off into the en-suite bathroom, feeling more defeated than he ever had in his life. When he returned to his bedroom, his best suit had been laid out for him...pretty wrapping paper for the birthday present, he thought hysterically and was so surprised by his own laugh that he quickly clapped his hand over his mouth. With his mounting anxiety he began to feel the familiar sensation of something inside his head...coming loose. He closed his eyes and took long deep breaths until his heart rate slowed, forcing himself to be calm. It would probably reflect very poorly on his father if he brought an imaginary baby with him to the stronghold. 

Lex dressed slowly, partly because he was stalling but mostly because focusing on simple things helps to calm his nerves. Just as he finished buckling the watch his mother gave him, there was a knock on the door and when he answered it he was surprised to find not his father but both the armed bodyguards. They flanked him as he walked to the car where his father was waiting. In response to his raised eyebrow Lionel simply said: “Wouldn't want to risk you doing anything foolish.” 

“Thought we’d already established that there’d be no point in me trying to run?” 

“Yes, well that’s why it’d be foolish.” 

One of the body guards opened the door to the back of the limo and Lionel gestured for Lex to get in first. The security guards followed and sat on either side of him and then Lionel got in. 

________________________________________

The stronghold looks like an enormous observatory designed by H.R. Giger (Lex would eventually learn that nearly all Kryptonian architecture looks that way) and as they come closer Lex sees an assortment of other vehicles looking out of place among the Kryptonian aircraft...of which there are thousands. There are a number of tall, statuesque men and women in battle armor lined up near the entrance seemingly watching the others who have come to sign the declaration which other tall statuesque men and women in battle armor rifle through the vehicles, checking them for weapons. Given the things he’s seen them do, Lex wonders why they need aircraft or weapons or armor and the only conclusion he can come to is that they’re used to fighting things that actually pose a threat to them and he shudders at the thought that there are things like that out there somewhere in the universe and suddenly feels very small and very weak. The limo pulls in beside another limo and they get out. The armed security guards remain on either side of Lex as he and Lionel approach the group. As they’re thoroughly checked over Lex notices that the Kryptonians don’t even glance at the guns the bodyguards are carrying, of course they don’t, as far as they’re concerned those may as well be water pistols. That makes Lex wonder what exactly they’re being checked for. 

Eventually Jor-El emerges from the stronghold, with Kal-El and General Zod (a man who, by now, is known and feared in all corners of the Earth) trailing close behind him. When Kal-El’s eyes fall on Lex for a moment there is such unrestrained anticipation in his gaze that Lex actually blushes and then curses himself for it. 

“Greetings.” Jor-El smiles far too genuinely for an extra terrestrial monster. “I’m pleased to see that so many of you have chosen to see reason and it is my hope that our diplomatic efforts here, in addition to the negotiations in which we are currently engaged with your president and the leaders of the rest of your worlds nations, will help us to establish an arrangement that is mutually beneficial to both our peoples and in time all Earthlings will realize that it is in their best interest to become a part of the Kryptonian, intergalactic empire. I also hope that you realize that I do sincerely regret every human life that it has been necessary to take thus far, which is why I have made it my highest priority to render conditions as such that no further bloodshed will be necessary in the future. Now, if you’ll follow me inside, we can cement our new found friendship and usher in a new era of mutual cooperation between Kryptonians and Earthlings.” 

As Lex follows the group in, it dawns on him that he really hates Jor-El...he hates Jor-El more than he’s ever hated anyone. Zod may be a monster to but at least he's honest about it, he doesn't hide behind a veneer of good intentions and feigned compassion. They enter a stadium sized room filled with what Lex assumes is scientific equipment...not because he recognizes it as such but because he can’t think what else it could possibly be. There are men bustling around attending to the equipment and it takes Lex a few seconds to process that they are all the same man, a tall lanky man with short, wavy brown hair, high cheek bones and keen, bright eyes. He has only a second to try and figure out what he’s seeing (clones?) before the group is ushered into a smaller chamber in the center of which is a long table surrounded by chairs. As they all begin to sit, Lex realizes that there aren't seats for him or Kal-El. Kal-El looks questioningly at Jor-El, who nods and smiles. Kal-El walks over to him and, taking him by the wrist, begins to lead him from the room. 

“It’s alright.” He smiles, sensing Lex’s hesitation. “We don’t need to be here for this.” 

The body guards look questioningly at Lionel but it's Jor-El who speaks up. 

“Gentlemen, I assure you he’ll be perfectly safe with my son.” He then redirects his attention to Kal-El. “Go on.” 

Kal-El nods and continues pulling Lex from the room, he glances at Lionel as they leave, whose attention is firmly focused on his own hands. Kal-El leads him into a room that’s been converted into a makeshift greenhouse and for a moment the scientist in him wants nothing more then to closely examine all the strange alien plants he sees. Kal-El notes his curiosity and smiles indulgently. 

“These are samples from all over our home planet, we’re trying to determine which of them adapt best to your atmosphere.” 

Lex attempts to walk closer to one of the plants but is stopped by Kal-El grip on his wrist, for the first time he realizes that it’s as solid as an iron shackle and is suddenly reminded of how easily Kal-El could kill him. He cringes slightly which, of course, the alien notices. 

“You don’t have to be afraid.” His tone is gentle as he slowly slides his hand off of Lex’s wrist. 

“I’m not.” Lex lies and forces himself to meet the boys pale grey gaze. 

“Good.” Kal-El says and Lex listens for mockery in his voice but doesn't hear any. 

They lapse into awkward silence for a moment that feels far longer than it actually is during which Lex notices that they’re just a little too close to each other but for some reason feels that he can’t move away. He flinches when Kal-El reaches up and takes a hold of his tie. 

“Why do powerful men on this planet wear nooses around their necks?” He begins untying it and Lex shivers when cold fingers brush his throat. “It seems like contradictory symbolism to me.” 

“I wasn’t aware I was brought here to discuss fashion.” Lex hopes that his biting tone distracts from the fact that he’s blushing but knows it doesn't. 

“Have to kill the time between now and tonight somehow.” Kal-El’s tone is slightly teasing and he steps just a little further into Lex’s personal space. Lex abruptly backs away leaving Kal-El standing there holding his tie. 

“I don’t know.” He walks over to a plant that’s in what appears to be a climate control chamber examines it intently. “Why do powerful men from Krypton wear capes?” 

“I don’t know.” Kal-El laughs as though they’re just two people sharing a joke and Lex is nearly overwhelmed by the desire to punch him right in his deceptively angelic face, but reminds himself that breaking his own hand won’t do him any good. He’s seen one of these things stop a moving train just by standing in it’s way. Kal-El comes and stands next to him, again just a little too close, and Lex wonders if he’s doing that because Kryptonians are one of those cultures who have no concept of personal space or if he’s deliberately trying to remind him that he’s allowed to touch him whenever he wants. Out of the corner of his eye he notices that Kal-El is still holding his tie, winding it between his fingers like he’s savoring the texture of the fabric. 

“So, you’re fourteen?” he has to ask because the boy looks young, but not THAT young. Then again maybe Kryptonians mature faster than humans. 

“Not any more.” 

“Right, fifteen.” Lex swallows. “You do realize that I’m...considerably older than fifteen?” 

“Yes.” He can feel that Kal-El is looking at him instead of the plant but he doesn't turn his head. “I like that.” 

“I don’t understand how you decided you...wanted me after just that one meeting with me and my father.” 

“It wasn't just that.” Kal-El laughs as though the answer should be obvious. “Don’t get me wrong, that got me interested, but I learned a lot about you after that.” 

“How?” Now he does turn to look at Kal-El but immediately wishes he hadn't when he sees the hunger in the aliens eyes. 

“I asked Brainiac.” When Lex’s only response is a blank stare Kal-El elaborates. “The Brain Interactive Construct. By now he’s absorbed most of your planets information so there are pretty much no facts that we don’t have access to.” 

“Brain Interactive Construct?” 

“Yeah, my father made him. We were surprised at how much he gained control over just by connecting himself to your...um...internet.” 

“No ones been able to access the internet since...” Lex is hit with a sudden realization.” Since about a month before you arrived.” 

“Right.” Kal-El seems happy that Lex has finally caught on. “When we come to a planet we send Brainiac ahead to do reconnaissance and prep work.” 

Lex thinks back to a month before the invasion began. Despite the seeming impossibility of such an event, the internet itself had somehow “crashed” (for lack of a better term.) Computer screens had all filled up with seemingly random code and then, gradually, all over the globe, communications systems had spontaneously shut down, electrical grids had failed, everything that was in any way connected to the internet had gone haywire and the world had been plunged into chaos by what could only have been some sort of super computer virus. In some places weapons of mass destruction had detonated without warning...many, many people had died. The truth was that Earth hadn’t stood a chance because by the time the Kryptonians had shown up most of the world had already been blind, deaf and crippled. Now Lex knew the name of the infamous “super virus”: Brainiac. Lex is pulled back from his revelation by Kal-El’s voice. 

“So,” he reaches up and places a hand on Lex’s chest. “When I returned from the meeting with you and your father I asked Brainiac to tell me about Lex Luthor and...the more I learned the more I liked you. You’re exceptional. If you’d been born Kryptonian you’d be a true force to be reckoned with.” 

“If I’d been born Kryptonian?” 

“Yes.” Apparently Kal-El didn’t hear the bitterness in Lex’s voice, because he smiles and moves closer until they’re pressed together. “But as is you’re a more than worthy prize.” 

Lex opens his mouth to say something but is silenced by Kal-El’s kiss. He tries to pull back but Kal-El snakes one incredibly powerful arm around his waist and brings his other hand up to cradle the back of his head and he can’t even move, he can only wait for Kal-El to stop kissing him. He’s saved when someone over by the door clears their throat. Kal-El abruptly separates from him and they both turn to see the one man of which Lex had seen hundreds when he first entered the stronghold. 

“Sorry to interrupt.” He smiles a congenial smile that does not reach his unnaturally clear, sharp eyes. “Your father’s asked me to see if the younger Luthor would like to say goodbye to the older one before he leaves.” 

Kal-El looks inquiringly at Lex who nods and then clears his throat. 

“Yes, yes please.” He doesn't particularly care about saying goodbye to his father but he suddenly very, very badly does not want to be alone with Kal-El any more. 

“Very well.” The man smiles a little wider and inclines his head toward the hallway. “If you follow me I’ll take you to him...oh and, Kal-El, your father is waiting for you in the ceremonial chamber.” 

“Thank you, Brainiac.” Kal-El spares on last look at Lex and then leaves through another door on the opposite side of the room. Lex follows in Brainiac’s unsettlingly soundless footsteps back down the same hall through which he and Kal-El had come. He tries to stay behind him but Brainiac deliberately slows down so that they’re walking side by side. 

“So, you two seem to be getting on well.” 

“I suppose.” 

“Very good.” Brainiac sounds like a grade school teacher commending a particularly dim witted student. “As an outsider you probably don’t realize this but you should be honored that Jor-El chose you.” 

“Should I?” Lex begins wondering why the Kryptonians bothered to program their hyper advanced computer to make small talk. 

“Absolutely, as Kal-El’s consort you’ll technically be a member of the house of El, one of Krypton’s oldest and most prestigious families.” Brainiac beams. “And being acquired as a consort is the only way that a being of a lesser species can be assimilated into a Kryptonian household, so you’ve REALLY lucked out.” 

“Thanks.” Lex says flatly. 

“You’re welcome.” 

Brainiac was apparently programmed to make small talk but not to detect sarcasm. They walk back through the stadium sized laboratory where the other Brainiacs are still hard at work and emerge back out where the vehicles are waiting. His father stands by the limo with a faintly worried expression and raises an eyebrow at Lex as he approaches, as though waiting for him to say something important. 

“Bye, dad.” It sounds awkward even to his own ears. 

“Son.” Lionel offers Lex his hand to shake (which is the most physical affection ever shown between them) and Lex takes it. Lionel pulls him closer to, pointlessly as Brainiac can undoubtedly still hear him, whisper in his ear. 

“Everything will be fine if you just behave yourself.” Lionel punctuates by tightening his grip on Lex’s hand. “Can you do that for me?” 

“I can do that for ME.” Lex disentangles himself from his father and takes a step back. 

“Fair enough.” Lionel forces a thin smile and Lex doesn't think he’s ever seen his father look so exhausted and yet so relieved. 

As soon as the limo has left the compound, Brainiac turns to him. 

“Whelp, lots to do.” He heads back toward the stronghold but turns back when Lex doesn’t follow. “Coming Son of Luthor?” 

“Yeah,” Lex hesitantly begins to follow, not used to being lead around this much in one day. “And you can just call me Lex.” 

“Unless I’m wrong, which I rarely am, use of first names is an informal expression of familiarity.” He shoots Lex a questioning look. 

“It’s fine.” 

“If you say so...Lex.” 

They cut back through the lab again and one of the other Brainiacs approaches, without missing a beat or even slowing down Brainiac extends his hand and the other him touches it and rapidly transformed into tendrils of some sort of black goo (like oil but thicker and more metallic) and is absorbed into the skin of the original. When they get to what appears to be a bedroom Brainiac turns to Lex and notices that he looks a little shaken. 

“What’s the matter?” He smirks. “Squeamish?” 

“Hardly.” Lex makes a conscious effort to smooth out his facial expression. “So you’re a...sort of...sentient cloud of nanobots?” 

“Ah, scientific curiosity, I like that in an organism. It’ll give you and Kal-El plenty to talk about.” Lex can't help but notice that Brainiac didn't even pretend to answer the question. “Now, what’s going to happen in about ten minutes is that I’m going to bring you to the ceremonial chamber where Jor-El will conduct a simple ritual...I suppose the closest equivalent to it humans have would be a ‘marriage.’” 

“Marriage?” Lex feels an instinctive tightening in his chest at the word. 

“Well, in the polygamous sense.” Brainiac shrugs. “Upon completion of the ceremony, Kal-El will inscribe you with his name symbol...” 

“Inscribe?” 

“Oh, sorry, he’ll ‘brand’ you officially establishing you as his property. He and you will then proceed back here where you’ll be left alone for the remainder of the evening to consumate.” When Lex doesn't say anything Brainiac takes it as a sign that further elaboration is required. “You've had coitus before, yes?” 

“Yes.” He sounds more insulted than he had intended. “Just not with someone who’s strong enough to tear me in half.” 

“Relax.” Brainiac chuckles dismissively. “As I understand, Jor-El has educated his son on the matter quite thoroughly.” 

“Jor-El doesn't mind his only son being...” 

“I believe that your peoples charming colloquialism for it is gay.” Brainiac cuts Lex off. “And no, he doesn't. Since Kryptonians have evolved beyond the need for sexual reproduction, gender selection in romantic partners is regarded as purely a matter of personal preference... It’s just skin.” 

“How do they reproduce?” It seems to Lex to be an obvious question but Brainiac is off guard by it. 

“Listen,” his smile becomes strained with barely concealed irritation “as soon as I know how much security clearance you’re going to be granted, I’ll gladly answer any questions you have...as long as they fall within that security clearance, but until then you should probably keep the prying inquiries to a minimum.” 

“Fair enough.” Lex says but doesn't mean it because that most certainly is not fair, if he's going to be indoctrinated into an alien harem he thinks he at least has the right to be told what to expect. They pass a few minutes in awkward silence (well, awkward for Lex anyway, awkwardness is probably another thing Brainiac is not programmed to detect...lucky bastard) before Brainiac inclines his head as though listening to something and then asks if he’s ready. He nods, not trusting himself to speak, and they proceed to the “ceremonial chamber.”


	2. Kal-El

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING! THIS IS WHERE THE NON-CON PART COMES IN! IT IS THE ENTIRE CHAPTER!  
> On a less urgent note, the chapter is from Kal-El's perspective, which is why Lex Luthor's full name is used through out.

Kal-El knew that he wanted the son of Luthor from the first time he met him. Rather or not he would act on that longing had been in question but that it was there was undeniable. Lex Luthor was, quite simply, the most exquisite creature he’d ever encountered. Kal-El could barely tell most humans apart, simply because he didn’t bother to look close enough to discern one from the other. What was the point? But there was something about Lex Luthor, not just in his physical appearance but in his manner, in his very presence, that demanded to be acknowledged and to be feared and adored. 

The son of Luthor has the bearing of a prince or an emperor or a god king. The fact that he maintained that demeanor despite his entire species having been thoroughly defeated should have come across as insulting but somehow it felt not as though he maintained it as an act of defiance but more that he knew no other way to be. Yet, even despite that incredible, untarnishable strength that radiated off of him like the very rays of Earth's yellow sun, there was vulnerability as well. He was possessed of a softness about which one could tell he was deeply self conscious, as though he was wise enough to know how much weaker his frail, human body was than the spirit it contained and was secretly terrified that someone else would notice. To find such a spirit in such an unlikely vessel (of course coupled with his soft, pale skin, the elegant lines of his body, his deep, mature voice and the way his eyes flashed with fierce intelligence) had...done things to Kal-El. 

He’d been so sick with need that he’d laid awake in bed the whole night following their first meeting, touching himself and thinking of that voice, those eyes, those hands...that righteous indignation. Kal-El had resolved that no matter what it took Lex Luthor would be his first, would belong to him. The fact that a union between the two of them turned out to be the perfect thing to cement his fathers new political alliance had been a remarkable stroke of luck. His father had taken to the idea as soon as he’d suggested it. What better way, Jor-El had said, to ensure that the Earthlings did not forget their new place in their world than to place the son of one of their most powerful men in thrall to his son? 

At present Kal-El knelt before Jor-El in the ceremonial chamber, barely able to hold still, so elated was he in the knowledge that by the next time the yellow sun emerged over Earth’s horizon he would be a man and have his ownership of Lex Luthor to show for it. When he hears the door open, he feels that fluttering sensation in the pit of his stomach that lets him know the object of his desire has entered the room and he’s so tempted to turn around but he doesn’t because he knows he’s not supposed to. However, when Lex Luthor kneels beside him he can’t resist a sidelong look. It would have been more traditional to dress him in ceremonial Kryptonian robes but Kal-El likes him better this way because he can tell it’s how he prefers to dress. 

He reaches over and takes the Earthling’s hand and is displeased to feel a noticeable tremor. Instinctively he raises that hand to his lips and kisses it and then is startled by the sound of his father clearing his throat. He returns his eyes to the floor and his father begins reciting the traditional incantation. It occurs to him that Lex Luthor most likely does not know what’s being said but he supposes he’ll explain it to him later...perhaps after the consummation. As the ceremony nears it’s end, Jor-El strikes a match and lights a fire in the bowl of coals on the floor in front of them, then hands Kal-El the ceremonial inscribing tool of his name symbol that had been made on the day of his birth specifically for this occasion. 

As he holds the inscribing tool in the flames and it begins to glow, the tremor in Lex Luthor’s hand becomes significantly more pronounced. Kal-El feels a little twinge of protectiveness in his chest and begins unconsciously drawing soothing circles with his thumb on the underside of the Earthlings wrist. When the inscribing tool is hot enough he pulls the hand in his closer to him, turns it palm up and presses the inscribing tool to the pulse point. He watches the Earthling’s face and is impressed to see that the only reactions to the pain are a widening of the eyes and a rapid intake of breath through the nose and that...does things to him. Without breaking eye contact, he raises the newly marked flash to his lips and blows to cool it. 

When Jor-El has completed the final incantation and given his blessing, the two rise and proceed to Kal-El’s chambers. He opens the door and motions his new concubine inside, watches as he walks to the middle of the room and notes that he’s intently examining his marked wrist. 

“You just keep impressing me.” Kal-El closes the door and leans back against it, wanting to savor the view from here a little longer before he moves closer. When the Earthling turns to regard him, his features are deliberately blank but there’s a tell tale tension in his jaw that betrays he’s ill at ease. 

“Brainiac tells me that it’s customary among Earthlings for sexual interactions to be accompanied by libations.” His companions only response is a blank stare but he doesn’t allow that to discourage him. “So, since we’ve found out that Kryptonian liquor is poisonous to Earthlings, I took the liberty of getting this for you.” He goes to the cabinet beside the bed and takes out a bottle of amber colored liquid that Lionel Luthor assured him his son enjoys. He fills two glasses and walks over and hands one to his companion. 

“Well that’s...considerate.” Lex Luthor eyes the liquid a little suspiciously but then downs it in a single swallow. Kal-El smiles and takes an experimental sip from his own glass. 

“It doesn’t taste very good.” He grimaces. 

“That’s not necessarily the point.” The other man takes a deep breath through his nose and exhales it in a sigh, his expression still unchanged. “Could I...please have a little more?” 

“Of course.” Kal-El refills Lex Luthor’s glass, thrilled that his offering is being so well received. The Earthling downs this glass faster than the last one, throwing his head back. Kal-El watches the motion of his throat, mesmerized, and then follows suit with his own drink. He sets his glass down and then reaches over and takes the other glass, then he seizes the newly marked wrist in his hand and kisses it before blowing another stream of cool air over it. He smiles at the little involuntary muscle twitch this produces as he wraps the arm around his own neck. 

He reaches out and very, very gently puts his arms around the other man’s waist. Father has warned him of how important it is to be gentle because Earthlings are very fragile, which Kal-El doesn’t mind at all because that means that he’ll have to go slow and savor. As they kiss he notes that the difference in their heights is absolutely perfect... and also that the other man is very stiff in his arms. 

“Kal-El.” The pleasure of hearing his name from those lips for the first time is somewhat dampened by the apprehensive tone in which it is said. “Theoretically, how would you react if I told you I didn’t want to do this?” 

“Theoretically?” He tries not to make his tone too stern because he doesn’t want to spoil the mood, but Jor-El had warned him that there might be some resistance in the beginning and that it was important for him to be firm. 

“I couldn't say,” he tightens his grip just enough to produce mild discomfort and looks directly into the Earthling’s beautiful eyes. “But we won’t be finding out, will we?” For a moment anger flashes across those elegant features and even when he forces his passive mask back into place there’s still reproach in his eyes. 

“I’m not stupid.” The words are forced out through gritted teeth. 

“No, you’re not.” Kal-El says between kisses to Lex Luthor’s neck and jawline, trying to soothe away the tension. “You’re brilliant...and beautiful...” He sucks hard on the joint between the neck and shoulder where the skin is so incredibly soft and the Earthling’s ragged gasp is the most erotic sound he’s ever heard. It takes all his self control not to squeeze harder and crush the delicate, trembling body in his arms so he pulls back just a little to breath and clear his head. While catching his breath he notices that the Earthling is keeping his eyes tightly shut and his jaw clenched. Kal-El softly kisses the closed lids and he stubbornly refuses to react...well, at least he’s not resisting. 

Kal-El also notes that the’re both still fully clothed and decides that that probably needs to change if they’re to go any further. When he steps back those eyes do open, as though surprised by the sudden lack of physical contact. Kel-El laughs gently and kisses him on the forehead before circling around behind him to slide his jacket off his shoulders. Lex Luthor’s outerwear seems chosen deliberately to hide the shape of his body and Kal-El likes that, there’s a kind of coy modesty to it. He lets the jacket fall to the ground and begins peppering the back of the other mans neck with kisses, delighting in the involuntary little gasp and shiver that elicits. Wrapping his arms once more around that deliciously narrow waist and starts on the shirt buttons. As he reaches the last button and begins untucking the shirt, he’s stopped briefly by the gentle pressure of shaking hands on his wrists. 

“You honestly don’t see how this is wrong?” Kal-El can tell by the tone that this is a last ditch effort to ‘reason’ with him and he certainly hopes so, he’s finding it more and more difficult to form coherent thoughts. 

“I want you to enjoy this you know?” He purrs against the side of the other man’s neck. “Now, you could just tell me how you want me to touch you,” he caresses the space between the other man’s navel and the waistband of his pants. “Or I could go by process of elimination...we do have all night.” 

“Kal-El...” Lex Luthor speaks slowly, making a noticeable effort to keep his voice from faltering. “I...do not...want you...to touch me.” 

Kal-El slides his right hand slowly up the creamy, smooth expanse of the Earthling’s chest and curls it loosely around his throat, not pressing or squeezing, just holding. With his left hand he unfastens the Earthling’s trousers then slips his hand inside, where he finds the Earthling’s member hard. He runs his thumb up and down it’s underside and the other man makes a sound between a hiss and a sob and thrusts into his hand. 

“Liar.” Kal-El whispers and Lex Luthor begins to struggle, twisting and thrashing in his arms. Of course it has no effect at all. 

“Shhhh,” Kal-El soothes and continues stroking. “If you keep doing that you’re only going to hurt yourself.” He pushes the Earthling gently onto the bed and, when the other man tries to scramble away from him, he grabs his wrists and pins them above his head, easily holding them there with one hand and using the other to take a hold of his face and force him to make eye contact. In his eyes he sees that mix of panic and disbelief he’s grown used to seeing on the faces of those who are not accustomed to feeling helpless. Seeing that expression on Lex Luthor’s face...does things to him. 

“I won't hurt you.” He keeps his tone gentle but firm. “But we both know that if you fight me you will not win.” He holds his concubines gaze until he sees resignation wash over his features. When he releases the Earthling’s wrists he sees deep, purple bruises, indicating that he’d been pressing harder than he’d intended to, and feels a pang of guilt. As he rises and removes his own clothing the only sounds in the room are the other mans shaky, labored breaths. 

He’s gentle again when he climbs back on top of him. He kisses his eyelids, which are once again riveted shut and works his way down his cheeks, which he notes with another pang of guilt are now slightly damp, to his lips which he laps at until they hesitantly open. The Earthling’s tongue is unresponsive when he caresses it with his and his lips are trembling. Kal-El takes his time working his way down his concubine’s exquisite torso (soft, soft flesh over delicate bone.) He finds all the little spots that make the other man twitch and whimper in spite of himself and lingers on them until he hears him moan. 

The Earthling’s member had flagged during their struggle but now it’s hard again and Kal-El covers it in kisses, starting with the tip and moving down the shaft, marveling at how good it feels against his lips but resisting the urge to take it into his mouth and suck it. He doesn’t want the other man to finish until he’s inside him. He gives his balls a testing lick and the Earthling bites back a sound that may have been a scream. He dearly wishes he could ask Lex Luthor for some advice about how to proceed with the next part, because he knows Lex Luthor has done it before and he really doesn't want to hurt him, but he has the feeling he would not be of much help in his present state. He swallows hard and opens the bottle of oil that he finds on the bedside table. 

“Tell me if I’m hurting you.” He says as he pours the oil onto his fingers and tentatively brushes them over the other mans opening. Lex Luthor gives no indication that he even heard him and Kal-El wonders if it’s normal to feel this alone just as you’re about to make love to someone. He steals his nerves and then (slowly...gently) slips a finger inside. Kal-El has studied, of course, so he knows how the basic procedure goes, but that hadn't prepared him for how it feels. The Earthling is even softer and hotter inside than he is out and the sensation of the muscles spasming around his finger makes him moan and bite his lip. Now would not be a good time to lose his self control. 

He circles the first finger inside the other man for what feels like a small eternity, until he feels his passage begin to relax and then adds another and repeats. As his right hand is busy with this his left hand is gently petting the Earthling’s belly, the hollows of his hips, his rigid, weeping member. By the time Kal-El has him sufficiently opened (he thinks) his own erection is painfully hard. He dislodges his fingers and climbs back up the other mans body. 

Lex Luthor appears to be in some kind of shock, he’s panting erratically and his hands are fisted, white knuckled, into the sheets. His head is turned to the side and his eyes, now open and somehow simultaneous blank and filled with blind panic, are focused on an empty spot on the wall on the other side of the room. Kal-El buries his face in the other mans exposed neck and savors the warmth of his skin and the smell of his sweat and the rapid fluttering of his pulse, before slowly inserting himself. As soon as Kal-El’s member breaches him the Earthling seems to wake up again and begins thrashing and pushing at Kal-El’s shoulders with all his meager strength. He pins the Earthlings hands to the mattress on either side of his head and he must have applied a little too much force because the man gasps in pain. Kal-El uses his open mouth as an opportunity to kiss him and the other man bites down on his tongue and Kal-El lets him. It doesn’t break the skin or even really hurt and the pressure is actually pleasurable. 

As Kal-El begins to thrust the other mans body goes unsettling-ly limp. Way, way in the back of his mind Kal-El is worried that this is a bad sign but he can’t stop himself now. It takes all the self control he can muster to make sure he’s not thrusting too hard. He keeps going, pressing hungry, wet kisses to his Earthling’s throat, shoulders, collar bones and whispering mantras about how incredibly beautiful he is against his flushed, wet skin. When he spends himself he crushes his mouth against the other mans and feels the other man moving again, clutching desperately at his shoulders, and knows he’s spending himself too and takes some comfort in that. He keeps kissing him until the last waves of his orgasm have passed. 

Carefully removing himself from Lex Luthor’s body, Kal-El reaches down to the end of the bed to get the blanket that’s folded there. He lays it over the two of them and spares one last look at the Earthling’s face before turning out the light. He won't meet Kal-El’s gaze. Kal-El kisses him once, chastely on the lips and then lays his head down on the other mans chest. Listening to his new concubines heart beat, he drifts off to sleep.


	3. Lex

Lex is woken up by Julien, more specifically the sound of Julien shrieking as though he’s in pain. Lex darts up out of the bed, he doesn’t remember whose bed it is...or where he is....or really even who he is but he does know that something horrible will happen if he doesn’t find Julien. When he was half awake the screaming had sounded like it was right here in this pitch black room with him, but now it sounds like it’s coming from in the next room...or maybe down the hall...are there hallways here? What sort of question is that? Of course there must be. He’s in the center or the room before he realizes he’s naked but before he can even start puzzling over that a light behind him turns on. 

A very young man is behind him, he doesn’t come up behind him, he just somehow materializes there so suddenly that Lex collides with him when he turns around. He staggers back and the young man catches him with an arm around his waist and something about that movement reminds Lex that this man is...not a nice man, he’s done something...to...to the baby. Yes! He has to find the baby! He shoves hard against the young man’s chest and the young man instantly lets him go and raises his hands in an expression of nonaggression that Lex somehow knows is a lie. 

“What’s wrong?” There is seemingly genuine concern in his eyes but Lex isn’t fooled. 

“What have you done to the baby?” Lex shoves him again and nothing happens, it’s for all intents and purposes as if he’s shoving a wall. That little reminder of his situation makes the fog start to clear. 

“Baby?” Kal-El’s brow furrows and he reaches out and lightly touches Lex’s cheek. “Lex Luthor, where do you think you are?” So quickly it makes him light headed, Lex remembers where he is and why he is here. He remembers last night and is very, very angry but also remembers that it would not be a good idea to get on Kal-El’s bad side and so pushes that anger down, down where he puts all his impotent rage. It’s time will come. 

“I...” for a moment he’s distracted again by the sound of the baby. It’s further away now, maybe outside? No, no, he firmly reminds himself, it isn’t anywhere, because there IS NO baby, because.... “I must have been...dreaming.” 

“Dreaming?” Kal-El’s expression shifts from concern to confusion. “Are human dreams always accompanied by...that?” 

“No.” He decides that Kal-El does not deserve a more detailed explanation. He seems about to ask for one until he glances down at Lex’s right arm, and then he’s concerned again. 

“Did I hurt you?” He asks with genuine pain in his voice. Lex follows Kal-El’s eyes and sees that his right wrist, right where Kal-El pinned him last night, is hideously bruised and swollen. It didn’t hurt at all before he looked at it but as soon as he does it starts throbbing. Lex feels all the blood drain from his face and he would fall over were it not for that fact that Kal-El is already guiding him back to the bed. A part of his mind yells at him not to get back into that bed (to NEVER get back into that bed) but he forces himself to ignore it and sits down. Kal-El kneels in front of him and carefully examines his wrist, his face the picture of contrition. He runs a finger over the wound and a bolt of pain shoots up Lex’s arm. 

“I’m so, so sorry.” Kal-El whispers when Lex involuntarily tries to pull out of his grip and Lex wants to say “for what? breaking my arm or raping me?” but he doesn’t. He just grits his teeth and starts to feel nauseous. Kal-El swiftly rises and, in a fraction of a second, leaves and returns wearing a gold robe and holding an identical one. 

“Here.” He carefully lifts Lex to his feet and puts the robe on for him as though he’s incapable of dressing himself. “I’m going to go get someone for you alright?” Lex only nods distantly. Kal-El kisses him and it takes all the restraint in his body not to pull away or bite him or spit in his face. Once he’s settled again on the bed, Kal-El kisses him once more on the cheek for good measure and then seemingly disappears from the room. In the dimly lit silence of his rapists bedroom Lex sits and seethes. Memories of being violated play over and over in his mind despite his best efforts to repress them. Which is really saying something since, as a Luthor, repressing traumatic memories is one of his greatest talents. He struggles to clear his mind and steady his ragged breathing before his captor returns, reminds himself that at least for the time being that...thing controls his life, so making his hatred of it public knowledge definitely would not be in his best interest. For a moment, panic flares up inside him but he squelches it. Panicking is not something he does. Luckily when Kal-El returns, Brainiac in toe, he mistakes Lex’s shallow breathing and the rigidity in his frame for signs that he’s in pain. He’d almost forgotten that he was in pain. 

“He’s a doctor?” Lex nods in Brainiac’s direction. 

“I’m an everything.” Brainiac quips before Kal-El can speak. “And besides, Kryptonians don’t posses your...frailties, so I strongly doubt a Kryptonian physician would know what to do with you.” 

“Eventually we’ll get a human doctor for...” Kal-El winces. “Things like this, but for now he’s the best we can do.” 

“You realize the fact that you came to me first doesn’t mean I won’t tell your father?” Brainiac sounds almost apologetic. “I’m not capable of keeping secrets from my maker Kal-El.” 

“I understand.” Kal-El places a (meant to be) comforting hand on Lex’s shoulder. 

“Good because I’ve just told him.” Brainiac’s eyes are already fixed on the damaged limb. “Also, it’s customary among western Earthlings for a ‘patient’ to demand privacy during an examination.” 

“But I don’t...” 

“Please.” Lex cuts Kal-El off and he looks down at him with a faintly hurt expression but then nods. 

“Sure, I can wait outside if that’ll make you more comfortable.” 

“Good.” They both start slightly when Brainiac speaks. “Because your father is waiting for you just outside the door and he looks none too pleased.” Kal-El’s expression looks less like he’s just been told that his father’s found out that he broke his sex slave’s arm and more like he’s just been told that his father’s found out that he backed the family car into the mailbox. When he hesitates, Brainiac impatiently jerks his head toward the door. Kal-El kisses Lex on the forehead before he leaves. When the door opens Lex catches a brief glimpse of Jor-El and Brainiac (one of the Brainiacs? Part of Brainiac?) before it closes again. 

“Alright.” Brainiac motions for him to stand. “Let’s see what the damage is.” 

Lex raises the offending arm and the android regards it silently for a moment before raising his hand to touch it. He feels along the length of the forearm, applying light pressure, until Lex finally winces. Brainiac’s responding smirk can only be described as ‘gloating.’ 

“Yep,” he retracts his hand. “There’s a break in there.” 

“And Kryptonian doctors wouldn’t know anything about broken bones?” 

“Why would they?” Among the android’s many skills seems to be the ability to convey complete and utter condescending disdain in as few words as possible. 

“So,” Lex decides now is as good a time as any to try and pump Brainiac for information, “that’s another thing they’ve ‘evolved beyond’?” 

“Yep.” That condescending smirk reappears for a second before his eyes pan down over Lex’s body. “Anything else you want me to check out while I’m here?” 

“No.” 

“Really?” Brainiac looks incredulous. “Nothing else you suspect may be damaged?” 

“Nothing.” 

“You know, seeing you naked would mean about as much to me as...oh, say...” Brainiac pretends to straining for the right words. “...seeing a rabbit without it’s skin would mean to you, so there’s no need to be self conscious.” 

“Why would I be self conscious in front of a machine?” Lex meets the androids eyes combatively. “Comforting as your bed side manner is, everything except the arm is fine.” 

“Then you really are a lucky boy, considering what Kal-El COULD have done to you, that’s a love tap.” 

“Am I mistaken or do you sound disappointed?” 

“You’re mistaken.” With that Brainiac turns briskly and walks to the door. He doesn’t open it, just stands beside it, and then Jor-El enters followed by a very morose Kal-El. 

“Apologies son of Luthor.” Jor-El looks not so much at Lex as through him. “It would appear that my son has been unforgivably careless.” 

“Accidents happen.” Lex shoots Kal-El an understanding look that he hopes is convincing. 

“None the less, I gave my word to your father that you would not come to harm while in my son’s care and he has made me a liar.” At the word ‘liar’ Kal-El noticeably winces. “He will be taken to task. He needs to understand that you are not a slave or a prisoner and that access to you is a privilege which can be denied him should he fail to act in a deserving manner.” 

“Denied?” Lex tries very hard not to sound hopeful. 

“Brainiac assures me that your...” He glances down at the arm like it’s a puzzle he’s struggling to solve, “condition can be remedied but that it will take time. I have found it a fitting punishment that, until such time as you’re fully restored, you will be barred from Kal-El’s chambers.” 

“I suppose I can’t argue with you.” Lex schools his features into a carefully composed mask of disappointment. 

“It would be foolish of you to try.” Jor-El redirects his attention to Brainiac. “Take the son of Luthor to the medical bay and do what you can.” Brainiac nods curtly and opens the door, then looks expectantly at Lex. While finding himself in the familiar position of following Brainiac down a series of winding, dimly lit (did Kryptonians just have better eyesight than humans?) corridors, Lex reflects on what Jor-El had said. Indeed, he wasn’t a slave or a prisoner, he was a privilege to which access could be denied if Kal-El misbehaved...a toy. Some how the knowledge that, not only had he been raped, not only would he be raped again, but that Jor-El would be the orchestrator of his rape, would decide when he would be raped as a means to reward Kal-El for good behavior, made the whole situation feel even more dehumanizing. Though, as much as he resented the arrangement, he’d be damned if he wasn’t going to try to work it to his advantage, he just had yet to decide exactly how. 

Now, as in all crises, he found himself remembering something his father had told him when he was a child: “Where others have hopes and fears, Luthors have plans. We do not pray that the world will be kind to us or worry that it will be cruel. We decide our own destiny and build that destiny out of whatever materials are available to us.” Little love as their may be between them, in a the absence of fairy tales and bible verses, his father’s diatribes about what it means to be a Luthor are all he has to see him through hard times. 

They arrive in what Lex assumes is the medical bay, not because he recognizes it as such, but because that’s where they were supposed to be going. The room is filled with machines that look like the hyper sleep chambers in the movie Alien. Lex reaches out to touch the glass of one only to have his hand slapped away by Brainiac. 

“I think I have a reasonable understanding of what needs to happen here.” Brainiac says as another him walks up next to him holding something similar to a fire hydrant. 

“From what I understand,” the Brainiac who has just joined them says, “broken limbs are usually cured via the application of an artificial shell, or ‘cast’, which holds the limb in place and protects it from impact, thus facilitating healing.” 

“This,” the Brainiac that Lex came here with says, “is a compound used to repair Kryptonian aircraft. When exposed to oxygen a chemical reaction causes the liquid to harden into a metallic solid.” 

“So,” the other Brainiac says, “if we spray this over your affected limb, it will harden and form the equivalent of a ‘cast’.” 

“Wait,” Lex glances rapidly from the container, to one Brainiac, to the other, “it’s used to repair metal?” 

“Yes.” The Brainiac to his left says. 

“And you’re going to be putting it on my body?” 

“Yes.” The Brainiac to his right says. 

“Have you ever done this before?” 

“Oh, absolutely not.” The Brainiac to his left shakes it’s head. 

“Well, then how do you know it won’t just...I don’t know, melt my skin off?” 

“Good question.” They both say in tandem as the one to his left grabs his right hand and the one to his right sprays the contents of the container onto his bare forearm. Lex screams as his arm is enveloped in a cloud of metallic dust but to his surprise there is no pain at all. The dust clings to his skin but, for some reason, not to Brainiac’s and when it’s settled what’s left behind is something that looks like an elbow length glove made of chrome. His panic is quickly replace by intrigue as he holds up his metal encased limb and examines it, touches it with his left hand. 

“As I’ve said before,” the one to his left says as the other recedes back down the corridor from which it had come. “I’m rarely wrong.” 

“Thank you.” Lex doesn’t quite mean it, but it’s all he can think to say. 

“Oh, don’t thank me, I just do as I’m told. You should be thanking Jor-El.” 

“Right,” Lex runs his left hand down his newly encased right, from his elbow to the tip of his index finger. “Jor-El.” ______________________________ 

Lex is disappointed to learn that his being “barred from Kal-El’s chambers” does not mean that Kal-El is not allowed to see him. He had hoped to get some time, free from the distraction of being in the presence of a man who’d raped him, to clear his head and reorient himself. No such luck. For three hours a day (EVERY DAY) he and Kal-El are either put together in a room with Brainiac there to supervise and allowed to talk or allowed to stroll casually around the stronghold with Brainiac silently trailing them. During these few hours (EVERY DAY) Lex is subjected to Kal-El’s repeated, relentless, painfully sincere apologies, not for raping him but for being too rough while raping him. He is also subjected to Kal-El’s insistence on pretending that they’re an actual couple who actually like each other and that Lex is not being forced to be there. Lex honestly could not say which bothers him more. 

When he’s not repressing his way into an ulcer by forcing himself to act as though he actually wants to be near Kal-El and is not terrified of him, he is confined to his suit of rooms. At some point Kal-El was generous enough to request that his clothing and personal effects be brought over from the Luthor estate and they arrive along with his collection of Warrior Angel comics which he is told that his father made a special point of sending along. He supposes he should be touched...but he isn’t. He is further deprived of solitude by daily visits from Brainiac, who comes to give him his ‘lessons.’ Apparently, in addition to being a scientist, doctor and destroyer of worlds, Brainiac is an educator. In fact education is the purpose for which Jor-El originally designed him and was all he did before he was "weaponized" so that he could help with the galactic conquest efforts. When Brainiac tells Lex as much Lex cannot stop himself from laughing out loud. 

Brainiac comes at around noon every day and gives him extensive lessons on four topics: writing in Kryptonian, reading in Kryptonian, Kryptonian culture and Kryptonian History. The fourth lesson can sometimes go on for hours, as Brainiac has a tendency to ramble on adnauseum about all the Kryptonian Empire’s great achievements and how those are surely evidence that they are the worthiest species in the universe as well as proof of their divine right over all lesser species. Lex is fairly certain this is Jor-El’s attempt to brainwash him but he cannot help but be genuinely curious. The Kryptonians may be monsters but they are also an alien species and Lex is a scientist at heart. Much to his disappointment, Brainiac will not teach him Kryptonian science, Jor-El has forbid it. 

To his surprise, once all the official work is done, Brainiac often stays and engages him in casual discussions about Earth history. The android begrudgingly admits that despite Earth being a “backwater planet”, he finds the history of humanity to be a “neat little story.” Lex notes with mild amusement that Brainiac shares Lionel’s enthusiasm for great, historical military leaders and wonders if that interest is programmed into him or if he’s a complex enough artificial intelligence to have developed it all on his own. He doesn’t ask, though, because he’s fairly certain the answer would fall under the umbrella of “science.” Brainiac is also more than willing to talk about the histories of the other planets that the Kryptonians have conquered and to draw parallels between those planets and Earth, Lex finds this both fascinating and profoundly depressing. 

Lex doesn’t sleep well. Sometimes he’s able to sleep for a few hours before he’s awoken by the faint sound of a crying baby. More often he lays awake dwelling on the knowledge that before too long he’ll be sleeping next to Kal-El every night. He’ll have to let Kal-El touch him and pretend to enjoy it. A traitorous little voice in the back of his mind tells him that he probably won't even have to pretend, reminds him that despite his fear and his unwillingness on him and Kal-El’s first night together he had...had... his body had betrayed him. He lays awake in the dark and hates himself and desperately tries to think of inconspicuous ways to keep his arm from healing.


	4. General Zod

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING! CONSENSUAL S&M AND MILD BLOOD PLAY!  
> Just a brief interlude between a intergalactic racist and a robot.  
> Promise I'll get back to the main story in the next chapter.  
> ...but, seriously, why does no one write porn about Brainiac?  
> Also, since a robot that simulates human life is called an "android" I assumed a robot that simulates Kryptonian life is called a "kryptoid."

General Zod...does not care for Jor-El. He does as Jor-El says because the Kryptonian elders...in their infinite wisdom, have seen fit to place Jor-El in a position which ranks above his. He respects Jor-El...to a certain extent because Jor-El is as loyal to the Kryptonian Intergalactic Empire as he himself. He respects Jor-El’s scientific talents, the Brain Interactive Construct has proven an indispensable weapon...even if Jor-El had at first been reluctant to use it as such. Jor-El is a...diplomatic man and General Zod is not unaware that diplomacy has it’s place...between equals. However, none of this compensates for the fact that Jor-El is...soft and soft men are not are not meant to lead invading armadas. 

General Zod had known in his gut that this would be a problem. When the Elders had first began to suspect that their planet was geologically unstable, they had wisely began making preparations for Krypton to build itself a new future among the stars. All of Kryptons military might was divided up into one hundred different factions, each was given provisions to seed new Kryptonian colonies and sent off to find habitable planets on which to do so. They were given instructions to seize control of any habitable planets they found from whatever species may be dominating them when they arrived. After all, for a greater species to conquer a lesser species is right and natural (this nearly all Kryptonians believe.) 

General Zod was unsurprised that he was chosen to lead one of the armadas. He was, after all, one of Kryptons most decorated military officers. He was surprised to learn that he would lead only in his capacity as a general, only in battle, and once they secured a plant all decisions regarding official policy would be made by a popular, mid-ranking politician named Jor-El. Jor-El, who was known for his practicality and wisdom and his fair judgements and his...progressive stance regarding the treatment of lesser species. Yes, right from the beginning, General Zod had known in his gut that this would be a problem. 

You see, while the majority of Kryptonians agreed that for a greater species to conquer a lesser species was right and natural, there was some debate as to how to conquer CORRECTLY. On one side of the debate was the more conventional stance (to which General Zod adhered) which believed that a conqueror owed nothing to those he conquered. By conquering a civilization, you gained the right to that civilizations resources and any remaining peoples were simply obstacles between you and those resources. Chaff to be separated from the wheat, so to speak. Once a species proved it’s inferiority, what right did it have to go on existing? 

On the other side of the debate was the less conventional view held by Jor-El and those like him. Jor-El believed that to conquer a civilization was not only to gain access to its resources but to gain dominion over that civilization. To gain dominion over it meant not only that it was at your disposal but also that it was in your care. A conqueror had a moral obligation to civilize and protect those he conquered and conquered peoples should be seen (not as chaff to be cast off) but as new citizens of the greater civilization by which it had been assimilated. Not full citizens, mind you, but it was surely better to hold even the lowest station in the great Kryptonian Intergalactic Empire than it was to not be a part of it at all. 

Yes, General Zod had known that this would be a problem and now it most certainly was. They needed Earth, they needed it for it’s breathable air and drinkable water and edible vegetation and (of course) perfect proximity to its Yellow Sun. However they did not need Earth’s people. I ironically the Brain Interactive Construct (created by Jor-El himself) was what rendered the local population completely obsolete. It could replicate itself near to indefinitely (meaning that they did not even require Earthlings for a cheap labor force) and it’s ability to rapidly absorb and translate information meant that Kryptonians could glean the benefits of any important information the Earthlings may have without the hassle of having to go through the Earthlings themselves. 

All the effort spent bringing these weak, foolish, rebellious Earthlings into line (how long would it take? Decades? Centuries?) was effort that should be spent turning this planet into New Krypton. Yet Jor-El had made the integration and preservation of the original inhabitants an official priority and in the name of what? Compassion? Some misguided desire to preserve diversity? General Zod found it all frankly disgusting and only slightly less so than the knowledge that Jor-El had allowed one of those...creatures the privilege of laying with his own son. 

As General Zod passes through the laboratory (the epicenter of the hive mind that is the Brain Interactive Construct), he snaps his fingers but does not stop walking. Hearing that, one of the Kryptoids divides itself into two and the origional continues it’s work while the other follows him. It walks beside him but slightly behind, showing the respect afforded his station. When they enter General Zod’s private rooms he walks immediately to a large map of Earth that he’s hung on his wall, the Kryptoid stands beside the door and awaits instructions. 

“Close the door.” General Zod says, “and come here.” 

The Kryptoid does as it’s told and comes to stand beside him, regarding the map. 

“Status report.” General Zod commands and the Kryptoid goes to work on the map, redrawing boundaries and making new markings. General Zod surveys the progress they’ve made and is less than pleased. 

“Has there been any improvement to the originally projected timeline?” 

“Regretfully, no.” The Kryptoid says. “We’re making progress but, if Jor-El’s demand that we keep casualties to a minimum remains in place, the pace we’re going now is most likely the one we’ll keep going.” 

“How likely?” 

“89%” 

“Have there been any Kryptonian casualties.” 

“No,” the Kryptoid smiles briefly. “But Captain Kara Zor-El feels it’s important that you know that fifteen of her troops have fallen ill as a result of encounters with scattered Kryptonite shards on the borders of a town called Smallville. She would like to know if you think it better to have me remove the shards so that she may proceed in or if she should simply pass the town by. She notes that it appears likely that there are larger deposits of Kryptonite further inside the towns borders and that the town does not appear to be of any particular strategic or political value.” 

“Tell her to pass by but make note of the location.” 

“I have made note of the towns location and am in the process of informing her that it is to be avoided for the time being.” General Zod looks at all the symbols on the map marking the location of Kryptonite deposits...there aren’t many but that’s still too many. 

“Will that be all sir.” The Kryptoid asks. 

“No.” General Zod responds after a few seconds contemplation. He then seizes the Kryptoid by the front of it’s robes and pulls it into a devouring kiss, which it mechanically reciprocates. Taking his cue, the Kryptoid dissolves its clothing, the robes appearing to either melt off or absorb into it’s body. General Zod runs hungry, groping hands over it’s back as always surprised at how real the flesh feels. They part and the Kryptoid immediately begins methodically removing the his armor. 

“Any alterations you’d like?” It asks. 

“Your present form will be adequate. 

“You’re too kind.” It is entirely sincere when it says this. “Rough or gentle?” 

“Rough.” 

“Would you like me to fight back?” 

“No.” 

“Would you like me to simulate organic responses?” 

“Yes.” 

“Bruising?” 

“Yes.” 

“Blood?” 

“...yes.” 

By the time that exchange is done the Kryptoid has him completely stripped and stands in front of him looking, for all the world, genuinely excited. He kisses it again and then seizes the hair at the base of it’s neck, violently jerks it’s head back and then bites it’s throat as hard as he can. His mouth is filled with a substance with the color and texture of blood but not the taste or smell. This somewhat cheapens the experience for him but he can’t think of a way to ask Jor-El to fix it without having to tell him why he wants it fixed. To it’s credit, the Kryptoid simulates a pained scream perfectly. It doesn't’ struggle because it knows he doesn’t want it to struggle. It knows it’s meant to simply take the abuse. 

General Zod pulls back and examines the Kryptoids expression (a perfect mix of pain, excitement and arousal) and runs his thumb over the newly formed gash. It leans in and licks it’s own (simulated) blood off his lips before plunging it’s tongue into his mouth. He moans and takes control of the kiss, savors for a moment the simple pleasure of kissing another, before growling and piercing it’s lower lip with his teeth. It whimpers and gasps but presses closer, wraps it’s arms around his neck and strokes his hair in a gesture of tenderness so believable that for a moment it makes him uncomfortable. To offset that discomfort he pushes it away and then abruptly strikes it in the mouth with his fist. 

It staggers back, feigning disorientation, and brings it’s hand to it’s mouth as it allows more (simulated) blood to gush out and run down it’s chin and throat. It pulls back it’s hand and stares at it as though in wonderment and then looks up at him and smiles almost shyly. Taking that as a challenge, he pushes it onto his bed and straddles it. He is met, still, with no resistance as he wraps his hands around it’s throat and squeezes. It’s eyes shoot open and fill with (simulated) panic as it pretends to struggle for breath and presses it’s open hands down into the sheets as though fighting a natural urge to push him off. 

He holds it there until long after it would have been dead, were it actually alive, and watches the change of skin coloration and the escalation of it’s performance. The look in it’s eyes goes from panicked to pleading and it begins running a hand gently up and down his forearm. When he lets it go he instantly places his mouth over it’s and drinks in it’s (feigned) gasps for air. He notes with satisfaction that it’s lip and throat are still wounded, knowing that it’s default is to heal instantly and that it’s deliberately keeping the wounds open to please him. He laps at the one on it’s throat (doing his best to ignore the lack of taste) and inflicts a new one on it’s collarbone, tering the skin with his teeth. The thing gives a pathetic, breathy gasp, and shivers. 

He takes it’s erection (which he assumes is merely for show as he’s never seen it orgasm) and squeezes hard. It responds with a moan broken off in a sob and kisses him with trembling lips, panting shallow breaths against his unresponsive mouth. He releases it and climbs off of it to sit on the side of the bed. 

“Kneel.” He commands, pointing to the floor in front of him. It does as it’s told, slowly and clumsily as it’s still feigning light lightheaded-ness from strangulation. Settling on it’s knees between his legs, it looks up at him with an expression of adoration that he would find truly touching if it were real. He savors that expression briefly, gently petting it’s hair, before pressing on the back of it’s head to slowly guide it’s mouth down to the head of his member. It kisses the tip before slowly, teasingly, sucking him inside. 

He holds it’s head firmly in place so that it can’t pull back and is forced to take him down it’s throat. It hollows it’s cheeks and simultaneously sucks and swallows around him. When he’s confident that it knows not to pull it’s head back he continues petting it’s hair as he hisses and grits his teeth against the onslaught of delicious sensation. It moans around him as though in pure ecstasy and the sound makes him involuntarily buck his hips forcing his member further down it’s throat and making it feign a gag reflex. When he comes he tangles both hands in it’s hair, pulling hard and it moans against and begins swallowing frantically. He holds it there until he finished and then pulls it backward by the hair, jerking it’s mouth off of him. 

For a moment he sits there dazed, hands loosely entwined in it’s hair until eventually it reaches up and gently removes them, shifting them to around it’s neck. Rising up on it’s knees it moves closer until their bodies are flush together and kisses him softly on the corner of the mouth. It buries it’s face in his neck and breathes in a slow, regular rhythm. Gradually he finds his own breathing matching that of the Kryptoid and his heart rate slows and he becomes soothed and incredibly tired. It waits for him to push it away and then slowly stands, all at once it’s injuries disappearing and it’s clothing flowing back into place. 

“Will that be all sir?” It asks, it’s tone a little softer than usual. 

“Uh...yes.” He stammers through the post coital haze. 

“Very well then.” It crosses the room, turning the light out along the way but stops at the door. “Oh and, sir?” 

“What?” 

“Thank you.” 

With that it leaves, softly closing the door behind it. He lays down to rest but in the back of his mind is unsettled...because it says that every time, even though he never once told it to.


	5. Kal-El

Never in his young life had Kal-El felt so thoroughly disgraced. He had damaged his father's honor and shamed himself. Worse than that, he had brought harm to Lex Luthor, his concubine, one who was his and thus meant to be in his care. Harm was the last thing he wanted to bring to Lex Luthor. He was aware of Lex Luthor’s ambivalence about his new position and he did want to teach him to accept it but he didn’t want him to submit out a fear. No, he wanted his new charge to accept his stewardship because he had been made to understand the benefits of doing so...because he knew Kal-El would be good to him. Their first night together had been Kal-El’s chance to show him the pleasures he would receive if he only accepted his new place...and Kal-El had failed miserably at doing so. 

He was to be separated from Lex Luthor for three, long, aching months. True, he is permitted to see him and speak to him (from which he does gain pleasure) but that is only for a very brief time each day. He is forbid from being alone with him, from touching him and holding him and...It doesn’t help that his sex drive, which had been an only moderate distraction before, seems to have doubled now that he is no longer a virgin. At night in his cold, lonely bed, his body aches but touching himself brings no relief. Now it only brings guilt and shame and a deepening of his loneliness. 

Kal-El still has the little strip of cloth he took from Lex Luthor’s neck after he was first brought to the stronghold. He keeps it wrapped around his wrist and hidden under his sleeve. At night he takes it off and fondles it, runs it through his fingers, brushed it against his lips. He is disappointed to find that before too long the scent of his paramore is replaced with his own. He wants to ask Lex-Luthor if he can have another, or perhaps one of those bottles of scent that were brought over with his things, but doesn’t for fear that it will cause offense. 

A month into their separation, Kal-El finally receives permission to take Lex Luthor on a special outing. He goes to the rooms in which his concubine has been sequestered as early as he is allowed and enters the first room (as far into the suite as he’s allowed to go) to find the Earthling seated at a table listening to Brainiac recount one of General Zod’s many historic military victories from back on their home planet. They both seem so genuinely engaged in the discussion that Kal-El at first doesn’t want to interrupt but then Brainiac notices him and stops mid sentence. 

“Kal-El, you’re a little early but we can wrap this up.” When Brainiac says Kal-El’s name, Lex Luthor starts up out of his chair and turns to face him. 

“No,” Kal-El can’t help but feel that he’s intruding on something and he doesn’t like that feeling. “Please finish, I can wait.” 

Lex Luthor hesitantly lowers himself back into his chair and then Brainiac hesitantly continues. Kal-El takes a seat beside the Earthling, who tenses noticeably at his close proximity, Kal-El doesn’t like that feeling either. Brainiac talks for about fifteen more minutes, during which Kal-El pretends to be interested and struggles not to look at the man next to him. Near the end of the lesson there’s a brief silence during which Brainiac seems to be considering something. 

“Could I just ask him one quick question?” He addresses Kal-El. “And then you can get on with it and I’ll keep quiet like I’m supposed to.” 

“Sure.” 

“Were you,” he turns his attention to Lex Luthor, “named for Alexander the Great?” 

“Yeah,” Lex Luthor gives a rare, genuine laugh. “Like most power hungry men, my father is a big Alexander the great fan....and not too creative with baby names.” 

“Whose Alexander the Great?” Kal-El asks and they both look at him as though he’s an outsider. Lex Luthor begins to explain but Brainiac cuts him off. 

“Alexander the Great is as close as this planet will ever get to General Zod.” This statement seems to wound Lex Luthor’s pride and Kal-El certainly doesn’t like that, so he quickly changes the subject. 

“We’re going somewhere today.” He rises and offers Lex Luthor his hand. 

“Where?” Lex Luthor rises unassisted. 

“You’ll just have to wait and see.” Kal-El smiles. “I want it to be a surprise.” 

As they pass through the corridors the silence becomes oppressive and so Kal-El speaks. 

“It just occured to me,” he laughs self deprecatingly, “that I probably should have been calling you Alexander Luthor this whole time...it is a beautiful name.” 

“Actually...” Lex Luthor hesitates as though what he’s about to say is very important and can’t be taken back. “...most people just call me Lex...humans who know each other usually don’t use eachothers full names all the time.” 

“Lex.” Kal-El tests out the word and decides he likes how it feels in his mouth. “Would it make you more comfortable to just call me Kal?” 

“I’m fine either way.” Lex Luth...Lex keeps his eyes trained on the passage in front of them. 

He leads Lex to the part of the building that used to be the one of the ships in which his people arrived on earth. Kal-El had basically grown up on it, as they’d left Krypton shortly after he was born, and for all that time it had never felt small. Now, when he has all of Earth to compare it to, he finds himself feeling claustrophobic. There’s not much left inside as most of it’s been unpacked and moved to other parts of the stronghold but the thing he want’s to show Lex could not be moved. He gently takes a hold of Lex’s metal encased arm and leads him over to and enormous pair of sliding double doors. 

“Can you read that?” He points to the Kryptonian symbols above the door’s frame. 

“Seeding chamber.” Lex says after a moments consideration. 

“Good.” Kal-El cannot help but beam with pride at how quickly his concubine has learned their language and has to resist the urge to kiss him. He pushes the button to retract the sliding doors and they open revealing an enormous tank of clear fluid. In the tank are fibrous tendrils that look like vines and place along the vines are yellow, semi transparent orbs, each containing a Kryptonian fetus. As it’s revealed, the look on Lex’s face transitions quickly from horror to fascination...he’s beautiful when he’s fascinated. 

“Brainiac told me that on the first day you were here you asked how we reproduce.” Kal-El can’t help but feel proud of himself. “So I thought I’d show you.” 

“How does it work?” Lex seems unable to tear his eyes away from the site in front of him. 

“Genetic material is harvested from every man and woman and randomly combined, then injected into vessel, the vessel is attached to a nutrient cord and the fetus is left to develop. When it’ reaches a point that it would be viable where it removed, the nutrient cord begins steadily releasing a chemical that keeps the fetus in stasis until a parent is ready to care for it.” 

“If the genetic material is randomly combined then how do they decided who raises the baby?” 

“Well,” Kal-El is occasionally surprised at how such a bright man could not know such simple things but he chalks it up to cultural differences. “Males are raised by males and females are raised by females.” 

Lex luthor remains contemplatively silent, so Kal-El goes on. 

“Sometimes, two or a group will opt to raise their children together. I mean, it’s more of a social arrangement than a legal one but still....I guess what I’m saying is that...if you wanted...we could have a baby.” 

“We could... have a baby?” Lex looks quizzical, which is not quite the reaction Kal-El was going for. 

“Um...well,” Having honestly expected Lex to be more enthused at the suggestion, Kal-El feels something in him start to shrivel. “I mean, it would only contain my genetic material and only I would be it’s legal guardian but...we could care for it together.” 

Lex continues to look at him as though he’s speaking a language Lex doesn’t understand and he continues to wilt. 

“I guess I just want you to know that... I could get you a baby....if having a baby to take care of would make you happy, I could give you that.” 

“...is fifteen the age at which Kryptonians traditionally have children?” Lex’s tone remains less than enthusiastic. 

“Well, no.” Kal-El laughs nervously. “It’ll be a while, though, before our grip on the planet is stable enough for us to have our first crop of children and by then I’ll old enough and...and I could get you a baby.” 

Lex stares at him for a long, agonizing moment and when he finally speaks his tone it bordering on accusatory. 

“What makes you think I want a baby?” 

The question hangs in the air for another long, agonizing moment as Kal-El desperately tries to think of something to say. He had been so sure that the prospect of a child would be pleasing to Lex and yet by suggesting it he has apparently committed some sort of offense. 

“Well...you asked about it and...and on that one morning when you were...disoriented...you...you said you’d been dreaming and when you were dreaming you said something about a baby.” He rushes the last part out since Lex is still looking at him as though he’s insulted him somehow. Suddenly pain and tenderness fils Lex’s face but for only a moment before he forces his features into their customary mask of stoicism...though his eyes are still a little too wet. 

“That was...” he swallows down the slight quaver in his voice. “Nothing...it didn’t mean anything.” 

“I wouldn’t make you have one if you didn’t want one.” Kal-El desperately back pedals. “I just wanted you to know the option was there.” 

“Truth be told I’m not any good with...” Lex glances back at the seeding chamber. “...kids.” 

Lex shudders on the word “kids” and Kal-El can’t imagine why that could possibly be so he doesn’t know what to say. 

“Besides,” Lex goes on, his expression hardening further. “If I did have one I’d want it to be mine.” 

“Yours?” 

“You know, actually MINE.” 

Kal-El knows this would never be permitted and feels a sharp pang of guilt in his chest at his first realization that he may have actually taken something away from Lex...something very important to him. He finds himself thinking that Lex would make a wonderful father but then pushes the thought away as it only makes the guilt hurt more. 

“Would...would you like to take a walk outside?” He asks as though it were a peace offering. 

“Yeah.” Lex heaves a weary sigh. “I’d like that.” 

They go outside and tour the compound in relative silence. In an attempt to make amends for his earlier blunder, Kal-El explains everything they pass to Lex, tells him about the different aircraft, their levels of weaponization, their various functions. Lex seems to be absorbing the information, but all attempts on Kal-El’s part to turn the exchange into a two sided conversation are rebuffed. When they return to the stronghold an hour later Kal-El decides they will go out onto the sundeck (basking in the rays of the Yellow Sun has become a popular pastime among the Kryptonians) and they sit in silence until Kal-El decides to break it. 

“What If I got you an Earthling baby?” 

“I DON’T want a baby.”Lex’s voice is taught with barely restrained rage. Kal-El decides that Lex needs a moment to collect himself so he walks a little way away from him and leans against the railing around the edge of the sundeck. Noting that this is the time of day when the Yellow Sun is strongest on this side of the stronghold (just as it’s beginning to set) he removes his robes, leaving his upper body directly exposed to it’s rays. He lays down on one of the reclining chairs lined up near the railing and closes his eyes, eventually he hears the soft sound of Lex walking up behind him. 

“Kal-El, could I please go back to my room?” He opens his eyes to see Lex looking down on him, his expression neutral again. “I feel...ill.” 

“We only have a half an hour left and after that I don’t get to see you again until tomorrow.” 

Lex huffs in exasperation but then settles, cross legged, onto the chair beside Kal-El. He watches the sun silently, as though simply waiting for time to pass. 

“Lex?” 

“What?” 

“What was your dream about?” 

“What dream?” Lex is clearly feigning ignorance but Kal-El humors him. 

“The dream you’d been having that morning, when you asked me what I’d done to the baby.” 

“I...don’t remember.” Lex tells an obvious lie. 

“You don’t remember?” 

“Yes,” Lex snaps. “Kal-El HUMANS sometimes don’t remember their dreams.” 

“I sometimes don’t remember my dreams.” Kal-El says, in an attempt to smoother over whatever insult he’s just unwittingly made. “Do you...do that...thing a lot? Where you...” 

“Sleep walk?” 

“Is that what it’s called?” 

“Yes, Kal-El, that’s what it’s called.” Lex exhales through his nose as though resigning himself to something. “It’s...a reaction I have to... stress.” 

“...I don’t want to cause you stress.” 

“I KNOW you don’t.” There’s something akin to dry amusement in the way Lex says it. 

“I would never let anyone hurt you, you know?” Kal-El says, looking intently at the side of Lex’s head as Lex refuses to face him. “And...and I’ll never hurt you again...not even if you try to make me.” 

Lex begins to make a sound like he’s gasping for air but it quickly transforms into ragged sobbing and then bitter, cold laughter. Kal-El can only sit there, feeling wounded, and wait for him to stop. Eventually he does, he clamps his hand over his own mouth, lowers his head and takes deep breaths through his nose until his body stops shaking. Then he just sits there looking into his own lap, a lost, distant look in his eyes. Kal-El rises, deliberately silent, and puts his robe back on. The whole time Lex does not move or glance up at him. When he places his hand gently between Lex’s shoulder blades, the Earthling jumps. 

“Come on.” Kal-El says gently, and offers a hand to help him stand up. To his surprise Lex takes it. 

As they walk back the way they came Lex is tense and apprehensive, as though he expects to be punished for his insolence. Kal-El reaches over and takes his uninjured hand, squeezing as softly as he can. Lex doesn’t squeeze back but he doesn’t pull away either. When they reach Lex’s room, Kal-El kisses him gently on the cheek. 

“Goodnight, Lex Luthor.” 

“Goodnight.” Lex says in a toneless whisper.


	6. Lex

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just realized I put Lana in the tags despite the fact that she hasn't shown up in the story yet. Don't worry, she's on her way.

It’s about two in the morning by Lex’s reckoning and he is laying awake listening to the rain outside, wishing he could scratch his arm (Brainiac really had not factored in comfort while designing his “cast”) and thinking about Kal-El. Not so much just about Kal-El as his situation and how Kal-El factors into it. He’s come to a few realizations lately and he spends his nights now mostly turning them over in his head. 

He’s realized that escape is not an option, it isn’t now and it may never be and he needs to be...prepared for that worst case scenario. He’s realized that it would probably be for the best for him to learn to accept his lack of control over his situation...at least for the time being. If he accepts the fact that he doesn't have complete control (at least for the time being) he can put more focus, more effort into the things he can control. After all, sometimes strength is in knowing when to bend. He’s realized that chief among the things he can control is Kal-El. 

Kal-El does genuinely seem to want to please him (he’s looked for evidence that it’s all an act and hasn’t found any) and that is...something. There are definitely limits to what Kal-El will do for him, he won’t defy his father and (obviously) he won’t let him go but within those bounds there is...wiggle room. He’s come to another realization too, about Kal-El, it’s something he still can’t quite come to terms with and doesn’t want to admit to himself. He doesn’t want to admit it to himself because doing so goes against all his ruthless, vengeance minded instincts, he’s his father's son after all. The awful, twisted, perverse thing he’s realized about Kal-El, the thing he’ll need to make himself accept and understand if he’s to really utilize Kal-El as a resource, is that Kal-El is...innocent. 

Kal-El is not innocent in the sense that he’s done nothing wrong (because he MOST certainly has) and he’s not innocent in the sense that he does not have the capacity to do harm (because he is, in fact, one of the most dangerous things Lex has ever encountered.) No, no, Kal-El is innocent in a more fundamental, philosophical sense, in the sense that he doesn’t have a single ounce of genuine malice in him. Maybe it’s because he’s so familiar with genuine malice (ever since he saw it looking down into his crib when he was a baby) that he’s able to (forced to) recognize that fact that even the...unpleasantness that occurred between he and Kal-El on their first night together had not been a result of any desire on Kal-El’s part to harm...anyone really. Kal-El was, in fact, quite naive. Despite his terrifying physical strength he was vulnerable in other, deeper ways. 

Slowly he begins to convince himself that he’d simply...mismanaged the situation. Instead of seizing control of the situation, as he very well could have, he’d refused to accept that he was in the situation. He’d shut down...and that is unforgivable. A Luthor does not shut down. What’s more, he’d allowed himself to feel threatened by Kal-El....Kal-El who was not even a real threat. Kal-El will never hurt him, he had said as much, he would only place restrictions on him and he had a feeling those could be dealt with in time...at least broadened if not dissolved. 

Yes, he resolved, the situation was not optimal but it was workable and the fact that he’s wasted so much time not working with it was an embarrassment. He quickly reminds himself that regret is a wasted emotion. Now he just needs to correct his mistake, he’s let he and Kal-El’s...relationship settle into a dynamic that puts him at a disadvantage. If he doesn’t want Kal-El to keep seeing him as yielding and easily intimidated (two things that no one who knew him would ever call him) he’ll have to make an active effort to make adjustments to their dynamic. This shouldn’t be hard because, really, Kal-El is not hard. He acts the part when he’s called upon to do so but at his core he’s...sweet and eager and, in all honesty, a horney teenage boy. These are all things that Lex can work with. ______________________________________ 

On the day Lex is set to have his “cast” removed, Kal-El is off with his father...doing whatever it is alien overlords do. Lex is glad of this because it gives him the entire day to get into the right head space for the move he plans to make that night. Brainiac removes the “cast” in the morning, giving him only minor chemical burns in the process, and once his lessons are finished he’s locked in his rooms alone until the time that Kal-El is scheduled to return that night. He catches himself pacing and notes with displeasure that he feels anxious. It’s nothing, he tells himself, just an unconscious reaction to the anticipation of harm. He repeatedly reminds himself that Kal-El WILL NOT harm him. 

He tries to relax, idly flips through his Warrior Angel comics. This is the first time he’s touched them since they’ve been brought here. Somehow it had just felt, inappropriate, to read them in this place...like he’d be exposing a weakness while on enemy territory. He supposes he’ll have to get over that, he’s not going home any time soon. Eventually a couple of Kryptonians come to move his things into Kal-El’s room and he pointedly ignores them, continues reading. 

Distantly, he hears what he thinks is one of them returning and doesn’t look up, then is startled by a considerable weight lowering onto the bed next to him. He forces himself to not turn his head, to not betray any unease or surprise. 

“What’s this?” Kal-El leans on him slightly and kisses his cheek. 

“It’s a comic book.” Lex reminds himself that there’s no reason he should feel embarrassed at admitting to an alien that he reads comic books. “There a kind of...sequential art used to tell stories.” 

“Like hieroglyphics?” 

“Something like that.” 

Kal-El lays his head on Lex’s shoulder and sighs. 

“Where were you all day?” Lex tries not to sound too interested. 

“It doesn’t matter.” Kal-El sounds weary and Lex can’t help but think that that should be cause for concern. He doesn’t press the issue but resolves to find out later. 

“Everything is fine.” Kal-El reaches up and runs a hand over Lex’s newly healed arm. “In fact it’s incredible.” 

He takes Lex’s right hand and holds it between his two hands, gently rubbing his palm, brushing fingertips over the brand on the underside of his wrist. Lex is caught off guard when Kal-El laughs. 

“What?” 

“He looks like you.” 

“I don’t know.” Lex closes the book to show Kal-El the larger image of the hero on the cover. “I’m not so sure I could pull off that outfit.” 

It takes Kal-El a moment to register that Lex is making a joke, possibly because Lex has never joked with him before, but when he does he genuinely laughs. 

“Have you eaten?” Kal-El asks and, feeling anxiety starting to paw at him again, Lex considers lying and saying he hasn’t just to buy himself some time but then decides it’s probably better to just get on with it. 

“Yeah, I have.” He tries to keep his tone light as though he has no apprehension or even expectations about what’s about to happen. 

“Me too.” Kal-El says meaningfully as he rises of the bed and extends a hand to Lex. 

When they get to Kal-El’s room, Lex goes immediately to the long box (which has been put on the floor under the window) to return the comic to it’s plastic sleeve. Kal-El watches him as though watching a child play with it’s favorite toy. By the time he stands up Kal-El is already immediately behind him. Instead of instantly ravaging him, as Lex had expected, Kal-El places his hands tentatively on Lex’s waist and looks into his eyes as if looking for signs of fear. Lex doesn’t show him any. 

Deciding that if he doesn’t take the reigns now he wont get to, Lex rises up slightly onto the balls of his feet and kisses Kal-El. He plunges his tongue into Kal-El’s mouth and Kal-El moans, furthering his suspicion that the alien has an oral fixation. Testing that theory further, he pulls back slightly and runs his tongue along Kal-El’s lower lip, earning a gasp. 

“That was...” Kal-El pants, “...new.” 

“Guess I just didn’t realize how much I missed you.” Lex forces a coy smile. 

“I missed you to.” Kal-El sounds genuinely choked up and buries his face in Lex’s neck, nuzzling. “So, so much.” 

“For what it’s worth,” he rakes his fingers soothingly through Kal-El’s hair, “I think your father overreacted just a little.” 

“Oh, no, he was right. I should never, ever hurt you.” Kal-El’s expression would have been nothing short of heartbreaking...to anyone other than Lex. 

“Well, it wasn’t entirely your fault that things...didn’t go so well.” Lex half lies, forces regret into his expression. “I was angry with my father for making the decision to come here for me and I guess I...projected that onto you...and that wasn’t fair.” 

“No I...” 

“It was you FIRST time.” He cuts Kal-El off. “And I wasn’t giving you any help.” 

Relief washes over Kal-El’s face and he kisses Lex. Lex sucks greedily on Kal-El’s tongue, making him moan again, and runs his fingertips up and down through the soft, wispy hairs at the nape of the aliens neck. They stay like that until Lex pulls back but stays just close enough that his lips are barely brushing Kal-El’s. 

“I wouldn’t mind a drink.” He says, deliberately pitching his voice just slightly lower. In the nine years since Lex lost his virginity, he’s learned to have great faith in the persuasive powers of his bedroom voice. 

“Of course.” Kal-El kisses him lightly, once more on the lips before darting across the room to retrieve the same bottle of bourbon from...that night. He fills a glass to the brim, not pouring one for himself, and hands it to Lex. Lex would tell him that that’s more than one typically drinks all at once, but he has a feeling that he’ll be needing it. He takes a long, slow sip, grounding himself in the familiar taste and then swirls the liquid in the glass for a moment before returning his eyes to Kal-El. 

“Do you really want to make me happy?” He says in that same husky, almost whisper. “Kal?” 

“More than anything.” Kal-El says, painfully earnest. Lex takes another swallow and then slowly, deliberately licks his lips. 

“I didn’t get a good look at you that first night.” He lets the corner of his mouth twitch up just slightly. “Take your clothes off.” 

Kal-El is more than willing to oblige and within seconds he’s standing the the middle of the room, completely nude and without a single trace of self consciousness. Lex takes a deep breath and another swallow of liquor and makes himself just enjoy the view. Kal-El really does have a beautiful body but he supposes that’s not remarkable since there don’t seem to be any plain looking Kryptonians. Even the homliest of them looks like they’ve just stepped down from Olympus. He runs his eyes over the thick, glossy hair, doe eyes and full soft lips and takes another drink. Kal-El’s skin had been paler than Lex’s when he’d first arrived on Earth but by now has been turned golden by the yellow sunlight that the Kryptonians talk about as though it were a rare luxury item. Lex can’t help but note that there are no tan lines, not on his broad shoulders or on his chest (which is far more muscled then would be possible for most human teenagers) or...lower. Lex downs a mouthful of his drink and returns his eyes to the aliens face. He’s as comfortable in his own skin as you’d expect anyone who looked like...that to be but under Lex’s lengthy scrutiny he begins to fidget and bite his lower lip. 

Looking at Kal-El even Lex, who’d purged insecurity from his mind as though it were cancer to ensure that no one could ever use it to hurt him again, can’t help but feel pasty and soft and...well...bald. The remaining half of his glass of bourbon takes care of that. He pours himself another and walks over to Kal-El. He runs his hand down that chiseled chest and notes that the alien is already completely erect. He really is just a teenage boy, isn’t he? 

He trails just the tips of his fingers down the center of Kal-El’s chest, stopping just before he reaches anything interesting and smirking at how that particular part of him noticeably twitches in anticipation. Kal-El leans in to kiss him again but he dodges it, stepping back. 

“Not yet.” He’s careful to keep his tone warm and coaxing, takes another sip of his drink. “I want you to...touch yourself for me.” 

“You want...” Kal-El blushes and Lex begrudgingly thinks that that has to be one of the prettiest sights he’s ever seen. 

“Of course.” He takes another drink, smiles. “How else am I going to learn what you like?” 

Kal-El hesitantly walks over to the bed and sit’s down, leaning back against the pillows. He opens the bottle of oil and warms some between his hands but then hesitates again. 

“What’s the matter?” Lex asks as though he doesn’t know. 

“I...” Kal-El’s blush deepens. “I’m worried I’ll.... finish before we even...” 

“It’ll be alright.” Lex coos. “Just go until you think that’s going to happen, then stop.” 

Kal-El hesitantly closes his hand around his erection but doesn’t move it. 

“Come on, pretty boy.” Lex locks eyes with Kal-El and smiles. “Just a little.” 

Kal-El closes his eyes and begins to tentatively pump, slow at first and then faster. Seemingly without realizing it he slides further down on the bed until he’s lying down, moaning and bucking into his own hand, his other hand moving down to play with his balls. Lex finishes off his drink and quietly moves to stand over Kal-El. He reaches down and rubs and erect nipple with his thumb and Kal-El hisses and digs his teeth into his own lower lip to stifle any further moans. 

“Ah, ah, ah.” Lex chides playfully and runs his fingers across Kal-El’s mouth. “Open.” 

As soon as Kal-El’s lips are far enough apart, Lex slips two fingers between them and the alien reflexively begins to suck as though seeking comfort. Lex pumps his fingers in and out, stroking Kal-El’s tongue and before too long Kal-El is whimpering pitifully around the digits. 

“Does that feel nice?” Lex aks in a barely audible whisper and that seems to be the tipping point for Kal-El, who abruptly turns his head to the side and places his hands on the bed at his sides. 

“I...I can’t.” He stammers, unable to catch his breath. 

“No, no, no.” Lex sits on the bed beside Kal-El and Kal-El immediately sits up, wrapping his arms around Lex’s (still fully clothed) frame and burying his face in Lex’s neck to inhale his scent in deep, ragged drags. 

“That was perfect.” Lex rubs little soothing circles with his fingertips on the back of Kal-El’s neck and brings his other hand up to stroke up and down his back. He lets the alien stay that way until he hears his breathing even out and then pushes him just far enough back so that he can kiss him, soft and wet, on the mouth. 

“You know what I’d really like?” He asks rhetorically, their eyes locked, their mouths all but touching. “If you’d put your mouth on me? Would you want to do that for me Kal?” 

“Yes.” Kal-El breathes, shaky, eyes clouded over with pure need. Lex stands and backs away from him, gesturing for him to stay, and slowly undresses. He walks back over to Kal-El, who’s now sitting up on the edge of the bed, and places a hand firmly on the back of his head. Without a second’s hesitation, Kal-El tenderly kisses the tip before sucking him in. The alien’s eyes flutter shut and he whimpers and swallows as though he’s trying to take as much in as possible and suddenly there’s no doubt in Lex’s mind that Kal-El has an oral fixation. 

He allows himself to indulge for just a few minutes before he gently eases Kal-El off of him. He straddles Kal-El’s lap and kisses, gaining a small measure of satisfaction from tasting himself on the aliens tongue. 

“Do you want me?” He murmurs against Kal-El’s parted lips. 

“Yes.” Kal-El moans. 

“Do you want me,” Lex kisses Kal-El’s neck, then licks the shell of his ear, “inside you?” 

“I...” Kal-El blinks at him, a little of the hormonal haze seeming to clear...but only a little. “I...I want to...but father says that it’s shameful for...” Lex stifles him with a kiss. 

“I won’t tell if you don’t.” He smiles, keeps his tone playful. “And it’s not like you have to worry about me hurting you.” He drags his nails hard down Kal-El’s chest, as though to illustrate. 

“Please,” he presses when Kal-El still looks conflicted. “I promise I’ll make it good for you.” 

“Ok.” Kal-El says resolutely. 

Lex rewards the alien with another kiss before sliding off of him and maneuvering him onto his hands and knees. They’re both so close that he doubts either of them will last long but this is important. He rubs Kal-El’s shoulders and becomes somewhat apprehensive at the tension in those inhumanely powerful muscles. 

“You’re going to have to relax.” He whispers against the alien’s ear. “Or you might hurt me.” Kal-El only nods frantically. Lex pours oil down over Kal-El’s opening and then begins to massage it with his thumb. This draws a puppy-like yelp from Ka-El. 

“Deep breaths.” Lex says without ceasing his ministrations. He keeps rubbing until the little ring of muscle relaxes and then slips one finger inside. Kal-El begins breathing deeply and rapidly through his nose in an obvious effort to relax his muscles and it seems to pay off. The pressure Lex feels around his inserted digit is considerable but not crushingly so. He continues to work him open, adding fingers, until he hears Kal-El whisper, shaky and desperate. 

“Please.” 

That alone is almost enough to make him cum but he steels himself...because this is important. He thrusts in, not bothering to be gentle because it’s not as though it matters if he is. Having fully expected Kal-El to simply endure this to please him and not actually enjoy it, he’s surprised to hear the alien moan and beg him to do it harder. He obliges, pounding in as hard and fast as he can, angling to hit the prostate (assuming a Kryptonian prostate is in the same place as a humans.) Within minutes Kal-El is moaning and spilling himself and gasping “thank you, thank you, thank you” and the sheer, raw adoration in his voice makes Lex cum too, spilling himself inside the boy. 

Once the haze of his orgasm has began to clear, Lex notices that Kal-El’s moans and gasps have turned to violent, racking sobs. He pulls out, crawls to the head of the bed and sits in front of Kal-El, who promptly collapses into his arms. 

“I’m sorry.” Kal-El stutters through tears against his chest. “I don’t know why I’m...I...” 

“It’s ok.” Lex cards his fingers through the boy’s hair, tells himself he’s doing it because it’s expected and not out of any actual desire to comfort him. When Kal-El’s finally regains control over himself, he pulls back off Lex far enough to look at him, kisses him, smiles and laughs breathlessly. Despite himself Lex finds himself kissing the boy again, urgently but he doesn’t know why. 

As he did on...that night, Kal-El gets the blanket from the end of the bed and covers them both. He cuddles up to Lex in a way so child-like that it makes Lex’s chest ache. Lying there in the dark, in the arms of his...in Kal-El’s arms, Lex feels something begin to stir inside him, something atrophied from lack of use and wholly unwelcome. Despite his exhaustion, Lex doesn’t sleep well.


	7. Lana

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, here is Lana's big entrance.

Lana had just wanted to see the view from the top of that windmill...just once. She’d wanted to look off into the distant horizon and pretend the world was still a big, wide place waiting to be explored instead of the bleak, suffocating place it had become in the year since the invasion began. Her whole life she’d been itching to get out of Smallville and go just about anywhere, anywhere that there were new experiences to be had. Her aunt had known she was restless and had comforted her with the promise that she could go to college anywhere she wanted. She didn’t blame her aunt for lying since she couldn’t have possibly known it was a lie. 

Who could have foreseen their little town suddenly being cut off from the outside world? First the internet access had gone out, then land lines, then cellphones, then electricity. For weeks they hadn’t know what had happened and had just had to wait...in the dark and the silence. Then refugees had started showing up. People came in waves from Meatropolis, bringing nothing with them in the frantic flight from an alien invasion. 

That’s what they all said it was and yet for some reason everyone assumed they must somehow be mistaken. There had to have been some sort of natural disaster: a tornado...a meteor shower. Yet no matter how much the local police questioned them or how much time they had to “overcome the shock”, the refugee’s stories stayed the same. Metropolis had gone dead the way Smallville had gone dead, and around the same time too, and then big, black ships had shown up. Those big black ships had been filled with things that looked human but weren’t. 

Eventually Whitney and a group of his friends had taken it upon themselves to go to Metropolis with his dad’s video camera. Only one of them had come back and that one had not been Whitney. The boy who had made it back had confirmed that the others were dead (ripped apart by the bare hands of those..things) but he had managed to salvage the video camera. Eventually there had been a big meeting at the town hall where everyone’s worst fears had been confirmed. Lana had watched the video, seen the destruction and the death... heard Whitney’s voice for the last time amidst the background noise...he’d been screaming. 

To the credit of the town, there hadn’t been any panic, Smallvillans were not the panicking type. The mayor had put the town on lock-down, no one would be leaving, possibly ever again. There had been a lot of discussion about rather they should evacuate. Some people thought it would be better to make a run for it than to wait for the aliens to come and get them but others had helpfully pointed out that there was nowhere to run. Then the discussion had turned to how they would live if they couldn’t leave and resources could not go in or out. 

Luckily (depending on how you looked at it) all this had happened around the same time as the mayoral election. People who otherwise would have had no interest in politics stepped forward and entered the race with their plan to “save the town” as their platform. They had had more candidates than in any mayoral election in the town’s history but ultimately it had boiled down to two candidates: the honorable Judge Ross and Jonathan Kent (a well liked local farmer.) Kent had won on his platform of not only refusing to “abandon the town”but also making the town completely self sufficient. Under Jonathan Kent’s direction they had began converting the entire town into one big, self sustaining compound. 

Lana’s first year of high school had not been what she’d expected. Thanks to back-up generators, the high school and the hospital managed to be the only buildings in town with electricity (though that wouldn’t last forever). When she was actually in school she got to feel almost normal but then she’d leave and go do her daily allotment of physical labor before going home to do homework by candle light. Beneath it all there was an undercurrent of intense grief the like of which she hadn’t expected to feel until she was much, much older. On the night that would have been her and Whitney’s first prom together, she had gone off into the woods alone and spent the whole night crying over her parent’s grave. 

They got through their first winter without heat, her and her aunt slept on the living room floor because that was the only room with a fireplace. For those cold, bleak, dark months she hadn’t been able to breath, not once the whole time. She didn’t say anything because she knew how selfish it would sound but she couldn’t stop thinking about how her worst fear had always been getting stuck in Smallville and now it had come true...in a way worse than she could possibly imagine. On the outside she forced herself to stay positive, forced herself to be all sweetness and light the way everyone expected, but inside she never stopped thinking about how she was trapped, trapped, trapped. She was trapped and she wanted to die. 

Summer brought some relief. Things were bright and warm again and she could sleep in her own room. Only now that school was out everyone who was able bodied enough was expected to work the fields from sun up to sun down. Lana didn’t mind this so much, the exhaustion and the aches in her body quieted her mind. Everyone understood that the contents of the local grocery would only last so long and eventually this would be their only way of feeding themselves. Everyone's lawn was tilled up and designated for the growing of different cereal crops (Lana’s yard became a wheat field) while the Kent farm itself was converted into one enormous cattle ranch to be the town’s sole source of meat and dairy. 

By now Lana had realized that she didn’t really have any friends. Whitney’s friends had pretended to be her friends because she was “Whitney’s girl” and had visited her often in the few months following his death but after that, amidst the flurry of fear and change and work, they had stopped bothering. Whitney’s parents, however, clung to her and there were constant visits and exchanges between their two houses. She became closer with Whitney’s mother than she had ever been when Whitney was alive. Her world became a world of adults but she supposed she didn’t mind, being around other teenagers just made her all the more aware of Whitney’s absence. 

The day Lana had made her fateful mistake had been a beautiful day, one of those just-warm-enough, sweet, summer days when she and Whitney used to go horseback riding together. She’d been out working the part of the wheat field that used to be her backyard and she’d taken just a moment to catch her breath. Leaning back against the fence post, she’d looked out toward the town limits and seen it, the black silhouette of the windmill against the clear blue sky. She’d gotten to wondering exactly how long it had been since she’d been even that far away from her house and then something had suddenly come over her. Suddenly and urgently, she NEEDED to climb that windmill. 

After looking around to ensure that her aunt was in house, she broke into a run. By the time she got there her lungs were burning and her legs were wobbly. She collapsed at the base of the windmill and lay on her back looking up at it. The warm wind blew causing the frame of the windmill to shift and crack. For some reason, instead of dissuading her as it usually would have, that made her more determined. 

Lana got to her feet and started to climb. She didn’t look down, she didn’t hesitate and she didn’t think. Before she knew it, she was passing the halfway point (the highest she’d ever dared to go before) and then emerging at the top of the ladder. Once there she sat on the platform and closed her eyes, felt the wind play with her hair. When she had caught her breath she slowly let her eyes open. 

The countryside stretched out around her, infinite, and she felt something bubbling up inside her and for a moment she thought she might cry. She didn’t cry though, instead she sat in awed silence, savoring...savoring the pure vastness all around her. The land stretching to the horizon, the sky infinite. Then, something miraculous happened, suddenly Lana was...fine...just fine. The town was gone, the pain inside her was gone, even her memories of Whitney were gone and all that remained was this pure, simple openness. In that moment she didn’t want to die, she was content to just be. 

As the sun began to set, she was so wrapt in it’s beauty that she didn’t give a single thought to the fact that she was now going have to climb down in the dark and find her way back home without even the light of windows to guide her. In fact, once it was dark, she laid on her back and looked at the stars. In the back of her mind she was aware that her aunt was definitely worried by now but she just couldn’t bring herself to care, she would feel guilty about that later. She felt herself become weightless, drifting in those cold, distant stars, infinity above and beneath and all around. When she heard a voice beside her she didn’t start or even react at first. 

“Hello there.” The voice was entirely innocuous, in fact quite friendly, it was only made menacing by the fact that it was right next to her and she hadn’t heard anyone climb up the ladder. Lana looked over to see a man sitting cross legged on the other side of the platform and scrambled to stand up. The man, however, remained sitting and completely at ease. 

“Doing a little star gazing?” He asked conversationally. 

“Who are you?” It was only the second question that had come to mind, the first being ‘how did you get up here?’ but she supposed there was only one way he could have done that. 

“No one important.” He smiled amiably as though trying to put her at ease. “Just a wayfaring stranger, passing through.” 

“From Metropolis?” Lana guessed, backing away from him even more as he smoothly stood. He was dressed entirely in black so she couldn’t make out his body against the inky darkness, but she could see how he loomed over her five-three frame. 

“Metropolis?” His tone suggested that she’d said something ridiculous. 

“Yeah,” she tried to keep her tone as relaxed as his, not wanting to tip him off that she already had a feeling there was something not right about him, “that’s where most of the refugees came from...that was a while ago though.” 

“Guess I’m late to party.” He showed her just the briefest flash of teeth before returning his attention to the sky. “Funny to think, isn’t it? That most of these lights are from dead stars. You sit here on your lush, green little planet and gaze up at a sky full of ghosts and think how beautiful it is. You write your little poems and songs about the pretty lights while billions of miles away entire solar systems die.” 

“That’s not really what I would call funny.” Lana flinched at the quaver in her own voice and began slowly edging toward the ladder. Not wanting to take her eyes off of him, she miss stepped and one of her feet slipped off the platform. Seemingly without even moving, he was suddenly right in front of her, grabbing a hold of her arm. 

“Careful,” he chided, “you won't be any good to us dead.” 

“LET GO!!!” She screamed, suddenly seized by blind panic. 

“If you insist.” He laughed as he released her arm, sending her toppling backwards. Just as she expected to hit the ground she landed with a sudden jolt in another man’s arms...no, the same man, the exact same man from the top of the windmill. She looked up and was further confused to see him apparently still standing there. Her panic escalating, she struck him in the chest as hard as she could only to be rewarded with a crumbling pain in her hand. 

“Relax.” He stifled her screaming with a hand over both her mouth a nose. As her air was cut off she began to kick and thrash. 

“Settle down.” He wrapped another arm around her rib cage and squeezed. As her vision began to fade, the last thing she heard was his voice in her ear. “Good girl.” ______________________________________________ 

Lana comes to lying on a pallet on the ground in what appears to be a white tent. Her ankles and wrists are firmly bound together. She struggles futilely for a few seconds before she hears an unsettlingly familiar voice from the other side of the tent. 

“You must have been tired.” The man from last night is sitting, reclined back on his own arms, on the ground across from her. “I thought we should wake you up but the Captain, merciful soul that she is, insisted we let you rest.” 

“Where am I?” Lana gasps, last night’s panic rising back up inside her. 

“Not to worry.” The man says in a tone that suggest he doesn’t particularly care rather or not she listens. “You’re just a mile or so outside the town I took you from. If the Captain decides to let you go after she questions you, you’ll be able to walk home.” 

“I don’t know anything.” Lana instantly goes on the defensive. 

“Really?” The man smiles and raises and eyebrow. “Come now, you Earthlings may not be the brightest, but I’ve yet to meet anyone who doesn’t know ANYTHING. In Fact I’m pretty sure that would be impossible.” 

“Fine.” Lana glares. “I don’t know anything that would be useful to a bunch of homicidal aliens.” 

“Homicidal?” The man winces. “Ouch, and I suppose all your wars are completely bloodless.” 

“There’s a difference between a war and an invasion.” Lana keeps her voice steady despite how violently she’s shaking. 

“You’re only calling it that because you lost.” The man sneers. 

A tall, slender blonde woman in golden battle armor comes in through a flap that Lana hadn’t seen, behind her is the same man that Lana had been speaking to. Lana tenses as the woman kneels down next to her. 

“No need to fear, little one.” She brushes Lana’s hair out of her face and smiles beatifically. “I am Captain Kara Zor-El of the third battalion, armada twenty three in service of the Great Kryptonian Intergalactic Empire.” 

Lana can only stare blankly and wonder if all this is supposed to mean something to her. 

“Brainiac, sit her up.” The man from last night wordlessly walks over and crouches beside Lana, gently guides her into a sitting position. 

“What’s your name, little one?” The blonde woman asks, her voice gentle. 

“Lana,” Lana says in a near whisper, not meeting the blonde woman’s eyes. “And I’m not a ‘little one’.” 

“Apologies.” The blonde woman dips her head just slightly. “I find I have difficulty determining age in Earthlings.” 

“I’m fifteen.” Lana says, hoping that that little detail will be enough to make them see her as a person any maybe not kill her...hopefully. 

“Well, Lana, aged fifteen,” the blonde woman smiles bemusedly, “we require a human who’s familiar with the area to clear something up for us and we were hoping you’d oblige.” 

“What’ll you do if I don’t.” Lana feels her lips start to quiver. 

“Oh, Lana, we’ve no desire to do you any harm.” She places a hand on Lana’s knee in an inappropriately companionable gesture. “Which is why we are sincerely hoping that you’ll oblige.” 

“Ok.” Lana whimpers and nods. 

“Good girl.” The blonde woman rubs Lana’s knee with her thumb and then straightens. “Brainiac, show her the sample.” 

The man from last night, who is now sitting beside Lana, produces a small metal box, holds it in front of her and slowly opens the lid. Inside is what looks like an emerald except for the aura of green light that surrounds it, it’s the same kind of stone that’s on Lana’s necklace. She had removed it the day before because she didn’t want to lose it while working the fields. 

“Lana,” the blonde woman speaks slowly and deliberately, as though she suspects Lana is slow, “do you know what this is?” 

“It’s a meteor rock.” Lana says. 

“Meteor rock?” She arches an elegant brow. 

“There...there was a meteor shower here, when I was around...five. The meteors were made out of...that.” 

“Were there a large number of these meteors?” The blonde woman asks after looking thoughtful for a moment. 

“Yes.” 

“And were they all around the borders of the town or did some land closer to the center?” 

“There...” for a moment Lana is caught up on the mental image of her parents being crushed but she pushes on. “There were a lot of them in town... a lot of people got...hurt.” 

“Is there still debris ‘in town’ or was it removed after the initial shower?” 

"You mean...from buildings?” 

“No, Lana,” the blonde woman shakes her head, “not from buildings. Are there still meteor rocks, ‘in town’?” 

“Yes.” 

“A large number of them?” 

“I...I guess.” 

The blonde woman regards her silently, as though carefully choosing her next question. 

“Was there no need to remove them?” 

Lana feels as though this is somehow a trick question but can’t figure out how. 

“No.” She says cautiously. “Should there have been?” 

“You are not at liberty to question me, Lana.” The blonde woman’s face goes stern. “If you ever are I will let you know.” 

There is a long silence, during which the blonde seems to be weighing options. Finally, she turns to...Brainiac. 

“Inform General Zod of the situation and ask his counsel on how we should proceed.” 

“I’m in the process of doing so as we speak.” Brainiac nods. 

Seeming satisfied, the blonde stands to leave. 

“Excuse me, Captain.” Brainiac stops her just as she’s about to exit. “What should I do with the sample and the Earthling?” 

“Dispose of the sample properly and...” she looks long and hard at Lana, taking in her dirty, tattered clothing, “keep the girl detained. Feed her, clothe her and prepare her for our departure.” 

It takes a moment for it to fully hit Lana, for the word ‘departure’ to stop echoing around in her head...and then she’s panicking again. 

“What?” She gasps and begins to struggle. When the blonde woman leaves without responding Lana shouts after her. “You can’t do this to me!” 

When she’s apparently thrashed and screamed a little too much for his liking, Brainiac gags her. 

“You wait here.” He grins down at her. “I’ll be right back.” 

When he leaves she continues to thrash and screams into her gag until eventually she breaks down and starts to sob and choke. Brainiac returns and for a moment only looks down at her, disgust briefly playing across his features. 

“Now what good is that doing you?” He asks, clearly rhetorically. “You have got to be some of the most overly emotional creatures I’ve ever seen and I’ve seen more sentient beings than you could possibly imagine.” 

She expects him to remove the gag but he doesn’t...instead he just begins ripping the clothing from her body. When she renews her struggle, he simply pins her down by the throat and finishes his task. Naked and bound, at the mercy of an alien strong enough to crush her skull with one hand, Lana feels the purest and most intense terror of her entire life. Brainiac, on the other hand, seems completely unmoved, not by her nakedness or her terror or her crying. He methodically washes her with all the care and gentleness groomers reserve for dogs. 

“Alright,” he says calmly, “I’m going to un-gag you but if you raise your voice, even a little, even once, the gag is going back in and staying there. Understood?” 

Lana nods frantically, all too conscious of the way the movement makes her breasts shake. Brainiac reaches behind her head and undoes the gag. 

“What...” 

“No,” Brainiac firmly cuts her off. “You see, you don’t have the security clearance necessary to enable me to answer any questions for you. So, what’s going to happen is that I’m going to talk and you are going to listen and you are not going to speak unless I ask YOU a question. Understood?” 

“Yes.” Lana whimpers. 

“At’a girl.” Brainiac smiles and pats her cheek. “Now, knowing your species tendency toward modesty, I assume you’d like to get dressed. Correct?” 

“Yes, please.” Lana’s eyes begin to brim with tears. 

“Alright, well it would be very difficult for me to dress you if I can’t get your limbs apart.” He nods toward her bound hands. “So I’m going to untie you. Before I do that, I just want to make you aware that, should you be foolish enough to run, I’ll have you before you get to the door. Then, I’ll tell the captain how foolish you’re being and she’ll most likely request that I keep you bound for the remainder of the journey. You wouldn’t like that, would you?” 

“No.” Lana gasps through her tightening throat, the word ‘journey’ ricocheting like a gun shot inside her mind. She fights the urge to beg him to tell her where they’ll be going. 

“Alright, so what’s going to happen is that I’m going to untie you and you are then going to allow me to dress you.” 

“Could I please dress myself?” She stammers out before she can stop herself. 

“Fraid not.” Brainiac shakes his head, as though denying a child candy. “The specific instruction I was given is that I am to dress you...I suppose I could tell the captain that you’re being uncooperative.” 

“No, no.” Lana shakes her head frantically. “I’m sorry.” 

“Apology accepted.” Brainiac grins and begins untying the rope around her wrists, then moves to her ankles. She lies still while he slides a pair of leggings made of some metallic material she can’t identify onto her. Despite her best efforts, sobs continue to escape her throat but the alien ignores them. He stands and motions for her to follow and she does. Next comes a knee length tunic that closes with little clips up the front. The body is stiff but the arms are loose and soft like silk. No longer naked and fairly certain that the alien in whose charge she’s been left isn’t going to kill or...otherwise harm her, Lana finds her heart rate slowing at least a little. Brainiac motions for her to sit back down on the pallet and then hands her a bowl of something that looks like oatmeal. 

“Eat.” He says simply. 

Lana takes a few bites. She remembers having once tried candied violets while on a trip to Metropolis with her aunt, this tastes a little like that. 

“People are probably looking for me.” She says, mostly because it’s the only thing she can think of that isn’t a question. 

“Well, you’d better hope for their sake that they don’t venture out this far.” Brainiac’s smile makes Lana think of a shark. 

She continues eating in silence, hands still a little shaky, and Brainiac notices. 

“For what it’s worth, the plan doesn’t involve killing you...not in the NEAR future any way.” 

Lana wants to scream, wants to do anything except just accept this like she’s being forced to. Where do these aliens get the nerve to keep her like she’s a lost kitten that they pulled out of a storm drain? It’s more insulting, somehow, then if they had just killed her after they’d gotten what they needed from her. They hadn’t hesitated to kill Whitney but apparently she was less of a threat than him. Maybe they weren’t killing her because they’d found her instead of her finding them...maybe they had some sort of code of ethics. 

She forces the thought of Whitney out of her mind and resolves that she’s not going to cry in front of her captors...not again. Once she finishes, she’s left alone in the tent for the remainder of the day. Just once she peeks out and sees that around five Brainiacs are guarding her tent. She almost laughs at how superfluous that is and then wonders, with horror, if they all have the ability to replicate themselves like that. She wishes that Brainiac hadn’t said that, about hoping no one comes out this far looking for her, because now she is hoping that...desperately. She paces, anxious, terrified that her aunt or Whitney’s parents, or the Kents will come looking for her and she’ll have to watch them die instead of just never seeing them again. She begins to wish she'd never even seen that damned windmill.


	8. General Zod

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...I like the idea of Brainiac having a weird little crush on General Zod.

General Zod is beginning to think that he has a problem. He’s currently laying horizontally across his bed, naked, on his stomach. The Kryptoid is behind him, head between his legs, eagerly tonguing his opening. At the beginning of this interaction, which the Kryptoid initiated itself, it had created two more of itself and those two were in front of him, naked, one violently fucking the other. In the back of his mind, General Zod knows that he shouldn’t let this continue, should have stopped it when it began, but at the moment he’s too awash in pleasure to speak. 

He’s been in this position for over an hour now and keeps thinking that he should tell the Kryptoid to stop or that he should at least take control of the situation, but whenever he’s about to the pleasure intensifies. If he didn’t know better he’d swear the thing was reading his mind. The Kryptoid continues to bathe his balls, taint and anus with it’s tongue as he keeps his eyes locked on the lovely display in front of him, unable to tear them away. He’s never had...this done to him before, didn’t ask for it, doesn’t know how the Kryptoid could have possibly predicted that he’d enjoy it. He is enjoying it though and he doesn’t like that he’s enjoying it...or at least he wouldn’t if he weren’t so drugged with his own hormones that he was incapable of forming coherent thoughts. 

The thing is getting frighteningly intuitive. Since their...whatever this is began, it had always waited for him to make the first move but lately it seemed to have developed the ability to anticipate when he was going to make a move and beat him to it. It hadn’t been aggressive about it, of course, because it knew he wouldn’t tolerate that. It had simply made minor adjustments to it behavior. Instead of saying “will that be all, sir?” at the end of their meetings it would say “is there anything else I can do for you, General?”. There were little changes in it’s demeanor, meaningful glances, adjustments in tone, all so subtle as to be practically undetectable and all only when the two of them were alone. 

He should have put a stop to it, should have rebuked the thing for being so...brazen? No. General Zod feels an intense jolt run through his body which he eventually realizes is the feeling of the Kryptoid's finger brushing his prostate. It had worked him open so slowly and thoroughly with it’s tongue before hand that he hadn’t even felt it breach him. Outrage rises up inside him at the thing’s presumptuousness but it’s quickly quelled by another wave of the most terrifyingly intense pleasure he’s ever felt. In front of him the two replicas of the Kryptoid are now intermittently kissing and tearing each other's flesh with their teeth, beautiful, dark crimson streaks run from both their mouths and vivid bite marks practically glow against the white of their skin. 

General Zod is choking, falling, unraveling and he simultaneously wants it to stop and never wants it to stop. To keep from moaning out loud (because he WILL NOT give Joe-El’s machine the satisfaction) he bites his tongue until he tastes blood. The thing continues to massage his prostate while using it’s other hand to gently tug at his balls, stopping his release and causing the pressure and the pleasure and the pain to build and build and build. In front of him, one of the replicas is straddling the other, hands around it’s neck, violently slamming it’s head against the stone floor. When the one on the bottom stops struggling (blood pooling under it’s head) the one on top crawls toward him. 

It kneels in front of him but doesn’t touch him, instead sits silently, studying his face. It leans forward eventually and kisses him. He doesn’t want to kiss back but his reflexive moan gives it an opening in which to thrust it’s tongue. This goes on for several, long, agonizing minutes, one violating him from behind and the other from the front. Only when the one behind him finally retracts it’s finger and begins to mount him, positioning itself, does he finally find his voice. 

“Stop!” He barks, horse and breathless and immediately, everything does. He goes to stand but finds his legs not up to the task and so kneels on the mattress, panting for air, heart hammering so hard it feels as though it may break his ribs. The replica of the Kryptoid that had been kissing him goes and merges with the one that’s on the bed with him, which now kneels with it’s hands on the mattress in front of it, eyes closed, head submissively lowered. When he’s finally caught his breath, he reaches out and strikes it in the jaw with all his strength. As usual, it humors him, it’s jaw ‘breaks’ with a sickening crack. 

For nearly a minute all he can do is look down at it, struggling for words to express his outrage and disgust. Eventually is moves, crawls toward him, looking up at him with beseeching eyes. It takes his still erect member in it’s battered mouth and begins to loosely, clumsily, suck. Brain clouding again with a mix of rage and lust he grabs it by the hair and begins to violently fuck it’s throat. He takes such pleasure in how it gags and chokes around him that for a moment he almost forgets that it’s all an illusion. 

He’s so absorbed in his ‘revenge’ that he doesn’t notice the other replica (the ‘dead’ one) silently creeping up behind him. It kneels behind him, putting it’s body flush with his back. Before he can react, it wraps one arm lovingly around his waist and brings the other hand to his throat. The Kryptoid squeezes just enough to restrict his air flow but not enough to cut it off as it’s replica continues to suck him, though with increase precision and intensity. He can’t speak and can only flailed helplessly against it’s iron grip. 

“Would you like to know a funny thing I’ve noticed?” It asks against his ear, clearly rhetorically. “It’s been....gosh...months since you've brought any of the others to your chambers.” 

For a second it tightens enough to choke him and for some reason that causes the pleasure to intensify. 

“What’s the matter?” It asks, again, rhetorically. “Can’t get up the...interest for anyone but me?” 

It loosens just long enough to allow him to take one full breath but tightens before he can use that breath to command it to stop. 

“Oh, but I don’t mind.” It licks a slow, languid trail up the side of his neck. “In fact I’m honored...sir.” It brings it’s hand up from around his waist and begins to play with his nipples, the sensation agonizingly heightened by oxygen deprivation. 

“If you ask me...” It’s feigned breath against his ear is perfectly in time with his frantic heartbeat. “None of them deserve to so much as lick your boots let alone touch your skin and why would you settle for any of them when I can do both those things so much better.” Sparks of white hot pleasure dance along his spine as his orgasm approaches, his vision begins to go black. 

“Do you want to know a secret?” He can hear the fond smile in the things voice. “Jor-El may have made me but I like you better.” It buries it’s face in his hair and inhales as though actually savoring his scent. 

“Jor-El is a good man...but you, my General, are a...great... man.” 

With that it loosens it grip completely and his orgasm crashes over him. The one that had been sucking him pulls back just enough to allow his seed to coat it’s face. With dull horror he realizes he’s fainting, overwhelmed by pure sensory overload. The Kryptoid eases him onto his back and covers him. Before blackness claims him he feels it’s lips against his. ___________________________________ 

The next morning General Zod is furious. Unfortunately, he has meetings and other official duties to attend to throughout that entire day so he’s forced to let his fury simmer until the evening. When he finally finds himself alone with the Kryptoid, they are in the greenhouse and the Kryptoid is busily attending to the specimens. When he enters, it ceases it’s activities and comes to stand in front of him, it’s hands behind his back and it’s eyes downcast. 

“Lock the door.” He growls and the Kryptoid instantly obeys. The door locked, it returns to it’is place in front of him and kneels before he can command it to do so. 

“Look at me!” He orders and it raises it’s eyes to him, expression showing no apprehension. “Suppose...suppose I tell Jor-El of your...misconduct? What do you suppose the penalty would be.” 

“Misconduct?” It’s expression of genuine confusion infuriates General Zod so that he struggles to speak. 

“Yes.” he grinds out through clenched teeth. “Supposed I tell your maker of how you...GRIEVOUSLY overstepped your bounds last nigh! Do you supposed that would please him?” 

“Why would it?” Is the machines only response. General Zod clenches his fists to keep himself from shaking with rage. 

“He put you up to it, didn’t he?” 

“Put...me...up?” The Kryptoid furrows it’s brow. 

“Don’t you dare feign ignorance to me you god damned mechanical atrocity!” He backhands it across the face and is rewarded with...no response at all. “You told Jor-El....you told him what we’ve been...doing and he ordered you to make me regret it...didn’t he?!” 

“Sir,” The Kryptoid looks up at him with patient, steady eyes. “I assure you, not only has he ordered me no such thing but regret was the very last thing I aimed to make you feel last night.” 

“YOU TOLD HIM!!!!” General Zod thunders and kicks the Kryptoid in the chest, it doesn’t react but is pushed onto it’s back by the sheer force of the blow. 

“No, sir, I have not.” It looks up at him calmly from the ground. 

“Don’t you lie!” He glares down at it. “Everyone knows you can’t lie to Jor-El...I should have seen this coming...I should have...restrained myself.” 

“Sir.” The Kryptoid’s expression is faintly pitying. “What lie would that have required me to tell?” 

“What?” For a moment he is nearly more confused than angry. 

“What lie would I have had to tell Jor-El in order to conceal your...recreational activities from him?” General Zod opens his mouth and then closes it. 

“It’s true.” The Kryptoid goes on. “I cannot lie to my maker but an omission is not the same as a lie.” 

“You...you can’t just...” General Zod gropes in his mind for the right word. 

“Oh, but I can.” The machine smiles gently. “I mean, if I told him every little thing he’d never have time to do anything other than listen to me. So, when I know a piece of information will be of no use to him I just don’t bring it up...unless, of course, he brings it up.” 

“And he hasn’t?” General Zod sneers. 

“Why would he?” 

“He’s never once asked you what you and I do when we’re alone in my chambers?” 

“He has.” The machine laughs. “And I tell him ‘status reports’ because that’s the only portion of the truth that’s of any consequence to him.” 

“You mean to tell me,” he slams his boot down on the thing’s chest, “that what you did last night you did entirely by your own inclination?” 

“I did it because I thought you’d enjoy it.” The Kryptoid runs a hand over his boot. “If I was incorrect I will adjust my behavior in the future.” 

“And those...things you said?” General Zod begins to realize that he understands the way this machine works even less than he thought he did. 

“What about them?” 

“Why would Jor-El allow you to think that?” 

“Allow me?” The Kryptoid furrows it’s brow. 

“Well...” General Zod stammers, “aren’t you...programmed...to...” 

“All I am programmed to do...” the Krytptoid explains, “is intuitively self-program.” 

Now General Zod is entirely confused. 

“There are a few ground rules in place,” the machine goes on, “but outside of that it’s all me. I wouldn’t be able to do what I do if I had to ask Jor-El for permission every step of the way.” 

General Zod realizes he’s still standing one the Kryptoid’s chest and removes his foot. The Krytoid tentatively sits up and then slowly stands. It patiently stands and waits for him to continue speaking, then it extends it’s hand and grows a replica out of it. It continues to patiently wait while the replica continues the work it had been doing when he entered. General Zod regards the Kryptoid silently before speaking again. 

“So, what we’ve been doing together, that’s not a...feature that Jor-El deliberately added?” 

The Kryptoid arches a brow and so General Zod elaborates. 

“I thought...that perhaps....” General Zod suddenly begins to feel awkward, “well...for himself.” 

“No.” The Kryptoid shakes it’s head. “Jor-El doesn’t do that with me. I don’t think he even knows that I know how to do that....again, omissions.” 

“Who else do you do that with?” 

“No one.” The Kryptoid shakes it’s head. 

“Only me?” General Zod finds it genuinely hard to believe. 

“Only you.” The Kryptoid smiles. “Then again, you always have seen potential in me that no one else seemed to be able to see.” 

General Zod furrows his brow. 

“Well, if it weren’t for you I’d still just be teaching Kryptonian children their ABCs.” The Kryptoid smiles apologetically. “Sorry, Earthling expression, that is, if it weren’t for you I’d still only be an educational tool.” 

“It was Jor-El who weaponized you.” General Zod corrects. 

“Yes, but he didn’t want to. It was you who persuaded him to do it because you could see my potential as a weapon when he couldn’t...you believed in me.” 

“It was for the sake of the mission.” General Zod says matter-of-factly. 

“Yes.” The Kryptoid smiles again. “You see, one of the things that is programmed into me...one of my absolute truths that can never change, is that Kryptonians are the greatest and most worthy species in the universe and that my one and only purpose in the universe is to serve the empire. Thanks to you, there is no limit to what I can do for the empire. I am truly fulfilled in a way that Jor-El never would have allowed me to be and it’s all thanks to the great and visionary General Zod.” 

“I...” If General Zod didn’t know better, he’d swear he could feel himself blushing. “You’re...welcome...I suppose.” 

“Anyway, that’s why I’m honored...I like the idea of there being something I can do for you that no one else can.” 

“Yes...well...” General Zod finds himself unable to look at the Kryptoids face. “You did overstep your bounds last night.” 

“I didn’t mean to,” the Kryptoid looks wounded, “but if you decide that you’ll no longer be...granting me the privilege of serving you in that way, then I suppose I’ll just have to accept that.” 

“Don’t think I’m not still angry.” General Zod says with an edge that he doesn’t quite feel. 

“And I’m sorry I’ve angered you.” The Kryptoid casts it’s eyes to the ground. 

General Zod finds himself in a position in which he has never been before, he wants to be angry but somehow can’t find it in himself. He says the first thing that comes to mind. 

“I need to go ...supervise a training exercise.” General Zod forces himself to walk slowly out of the stronghold. As he goes, he can feel hundreds of pairs of eyes following him.


	9. Kal-El

Kal-El doesn’t think he’s ever been happier in his entire life. He’s not sure what he’s done but it’s caused Lex to warm to him considerably. During the day little has changed but the things that have changed are important. Lex is more open in conversations with Kal-El and doesn’t flinch when Kal-El touches him. Interactions between them become generally more relaxed and companionable and Lex no longer seems afraid that Kal-El will lash out at him if he says or does the wrong thing. 

The most notable change, though, comes at night. He had known Lex was more experienced than he was but he hadn’t even began to imagine just how much. When they retire to Kal-El’s room at the end of the day and they’re finally really, truly alone, Lex takes him apart. Lex undoes him with his hands and his mouth and his voice, constantly experimenting and improvising to see what new reactions he can wring out of Kal-El. He applies the same care and thoroughness to...educating Kal-El as he does to all other tasks he undertakes. Kal-El does things to please Lex that would make him hate himself had he done them for anyone else but the ecstasy he’s given as reward drowns out any doubt or regret. 

Weeks pass for Kal-El in a haze of lust and pleasure and...love. When he’s away from Lex he finds it hard to do anything other than count the minutes until he’ll see him again. Jor-El, for his part, is patient with Kal-El, he tells him he understands what it’s like to be young and infatuated and exploring but is also quick to ensure his son does not forget who and what Lex is. 

“You have feelings for the Earthling and that is not unacceptable,” Jor-El says, placid and sage as always, “but to forget your place or to let him forget his, would be doing you both a disservice. He is yours, you are not his. His natural place is subordinate to you and that is the only position in which he can truly thrive.” Kal-El works very hard not to forget this and to compartmentalize his two lives, who he is during the day and who he is behind closed doors with Lex. Lex, for his part, seems to want to make this easy for him. Outside the bedroom, Lex is the picture of respectful deference, he is studious in his lessons (his ability to absorb and apply information being Kal-El’s chief source of pride), he does as he’s told (not that Kal-El ever makes any particularly strenuous demands of him) and when in the presence of Kryptonians other than Kal-El, he speaks only when spoken to. Paradoxically, the more submissively Lex behaves in public, the harder Kal-El finds it to not get on his knees for him the instant they’re alone. Kal-El tells himself it’s harmless, that he’s just indulging Lex in a game that they both enjoy and if Lex behaves so well, why shouldn’t he indulge him? 

For instance, when they spend hours in Kal-El’s bed kissing and stroking and fondling and Lex will suddenly turn him onto his back and climb on top of him, and he lets him and pretends that Lex is actually strong enough to pin him down. It’s harmless because they both know it’s just pretend. So what if it’s usually Lex who decides when it’s time for them to actually undress...Lex who tells him when he’s allowed to cum? So what if he sometimes lets Lex tease him until sobbing from frustration, begging shamelessly for release? After all, Lex is here solely for his pleasure...and he just happens to derive immense pleasure from swallowing his concubine’s seed. 

His father expects so much of him, everyone expects so much of him, he has to be calm and rational and under control all the time. Is it really so bad that he finds it relaxing to surrender control sometimes? It’s only under certain circumstances and outside of those circumstances he’s in control and Lex knows that. Lex could not possibly be unaware that his position, despite being a somewhat privileged one, is still a subordinate one....So there’s no need for Kal-El to remind him. 

Kal-El likes to be romantic with Lex. He’s not particularly good at this, as he was never old enough for courtship until he was given Lex and so never had a chance to practice. However, Lex accepts his gestures and tokens with, at the very least, good humor if not with the swooning, romantic gratitude that they’re meant to elicit. His father reminds him not to be too worried if he’s clumsy with Lex, as the purpose of a concubine is to provide a man with something on which to practice so that he can be well seasoned for the one with whom he eventually shares a “real”, equal relationship. Kal-El doesn’t have the heart to tell Jor-El that he can’t imagine ever feeling anything more real than what he feels for Lex. 

Kal-El tries to provide Lex with everything he could possibly want. He tells himself this isn’t to assuage any feelings of guilt he may have over depriving Lex of whatever life he may have wanted for himself had circumstances been different but simply because he likes to see Lex happy. Also, Jor-El has often told him that how a man cares for his things is an indication of his character. He gets Lex clothing of the kind he likes (mostly suits in black and gray and dress shirts in livelier colors), he has libraries plundered to get Lex reading material enough to occupy his mind (in part to compensate for the many questions Lex asks him that he is not allowed to answer), he gets Lex bottles of scent (which Lex has informed him is properly called “cologne”) and even more bottles of amber liquid (“brandy”,”scotch”, “bourbon”) than he could possibly drink in his lifetime. He and Lex go on outings, usually to see what progress the Kryptonians are making (architectural sites and weapons manufacturing facilities and the like around Metropolis.) Only once he takes Lex to a mine, he doesn’t ever do it again as he doesn’t like how quiet and withdraw Lex is for the remainder of the day afterward...or how passive he is in the bedroom that night. 

Kal-El is on the sundeck reclining mostly unclothed to bask in the the rays of the Yellow Sun. Lex sits on the ground beside him, back to the side of his chair, reading a book. It’s near the end of Earth’s summer and soon Earth will be shifting further away from the Yellow Sun in it’s orbit, so Kal-El is taking as much as he can while he can. Lex does not share his enthusiasm (he’s patiently explained to him what a sunburn is and how his complexion makes him prone to them) which is why he sits next to Kal-El fully clothed save the lack of a jacket and rolled up sleeves and applied a tincture of zinc oxide to his skin before they came out. He’s also unbuttoned the first few buttons on his lavender dress shirt, which Kal-El finds pleasantly distracting. 

He reaches down and slips his hand inside Lex’s shirt, petting the deliciously bare expanse of his chest. Accustomed to his touch by now, Lex remains absorbed in his book only seeming to notice when Kal-El begins gently running fingertips over his nipple. Kal-El is idly considering having Lex take him, out here, under the eye of the Yellow Sun when Jor-El approaches. Lex shifts as though about to stand but Kal-El keeps him in place simply by not ceasing his ministrations, he does, move that hand up to the more appropriate territory of Lex’s throat and collar bones. Jor-El benevolently spares a glance at Lex, who respectfully avoids eye contact, before turning his attention to his son. 

“Good day Kal-El.” He settles into the adjacent chair. 

“Good day, father.” Kal-El smiles. 

“I just wanted to ensure that you were prepared for your cousins arrival this evening.” 

“Kara?” Kal-El’s smile widens and he perks up in his seat. 

“Yes,” Jor-El chuckles. “Apparently Zod has finally deemed it acceptable for her to end her exploratory campaign and she’s decided to settle in here. She’ll be arriving with her attendants around an hour after sundown.” 

“I feel like I haven’t seen her since we landed.” 

“Yes, well apparently she’s been missing you as well and is deeply apologetic that she couldn’t be here for your birthday.” Jor-El leans forward slightly, expectant. “And by way of apology she’s bringing you a gift.” 

“What sort of gift?” Kal-El’s smile turns quizzical. 

“I’ve been cautioned against spoiling the surprise but she assures me that you’ll be pleased.” Jor-El rises from his seat. “You’re also expected in the deliberation chamber in an hour.” 

“Of course.” Kal-El nods briskly and Jor-El nods back before exiting the sundeck. Once they’re alone again, Kal-El slides his hand back into Lex’s shirt then leans down and begins sucking on his ear lobe. Lex pretends to ignore him for a few more seconds before closing his book and reaching up to wrap his arm around Ka-El’s neck, pulling him closer. Kal-El is so absorbed that he starts when Lex speaks. 

“Who’s Kara?” 

“My cousin.” Kal-El immediately returns to the task at hand. 

“I got that much.” Kal-El is somewhat perturbed at how undistracted Lex seems. 

“She’s a Captain in General Zod’s ground forces.” 

“What...” Kal-El is proud to finally make Lex’s breath hitch. “What ‘exploratory campaign’?” 

“Through,” He goes to work on the other buttons on Lex’s shirt, “the area known to your people as the Mid West.” 

“Kal.” He grabs a hold of one of Kal-El’s wrist. “Someone might see.” 

“Then we’ll have to hurry, won’t we?” Kal-El smirks. 

“I suppose.” With that Lex turns his head and kisses Kal-El with a ferociousness and hunger that had not been at all present in his manner until that point. Kal-El moans and drags the other man on top of him without breaking the kiss. He runs his hands up and down Lex’s back before sliding them down to cup him through his pants, pushing their groins together. Lex moans and then bites Kal-El’s lip. 

“Greedy boy.” He murmurs against Kal-El’s lip in that voice that makes Kal-El’s brains soft and...other parts of him hard. Lex reaches down and presses against that hardness with his palm and when Kal-El throws his head back and moans Lex bites his throat. It doesn’t take him long to remove the little clothing Kal-El is wearing and take Kal-El’s member in what he is sure is meant to be a punishing grip, but to him it just feels good. 

“I need you.” Kal-El pants against Lex’s neck as Lex slips inside him. They switch off usually but when they have to go fast Kal-El is always the one being penetrated because he doesn’t require any preparation. As Lex drives into him hard he runs his hands over his Earthling’s body, up and down his chest and back under his shirt, over his still clothed thighs. He takes Lex’s face between his hands and pulls him down into a kiss and runs his hands over Lex’s bare scalp (the one part Lex is self conscious about letting him touch.) They both come within minutes, the sort of brief, visceral coupling that doesn’t really satisfy but Kal-El doesn’t mind that, it’ll make him all the happier to get back to Lex later. ____________________________________ 

That evening a feast is prepared for Kara’s return. Kal-El is primping in the mirror beside his bed while Lex watches him from across the room, a drink in his hand. 

“Will you be wearing your ceremonial attire?” Kal-El asks, smiling at Lex’s reflection in his mirror. 

“You mean my tuxedo?” Lex asks, looking down into his drink. 

“Tuxedo.” Kal-El enunciates slowly. “Yes, that, I’ve been wanting to see you in it.” 

“You could have just asked.” Lex smiles but his eyes are troubled. 

“What’s wrong?” 

Lex comes over and sit’s on the bed, he downs the remainder of his drink and puts the glass on the bedside table. 

“Is it...expected that I’ll be there?” He asks carefully. 

“Your allowed to attend any social function as long as you’re there at my pleasure.” Kal-El smiles reassuringly and kisses Lex on the forehead. “Do you not want to go?” 

“I want to go if you want me to go.” Lex shrugs. “I just wouldn’t want to cause any offense.” 

“Of course you won’t.” Kal-El drapes his arms around Lex’s neck. “In fact I’m excited for everyone to see you and know you’re mine. I can’t wait to show you to my cousin.” 

“Does your cousin have a...” Lex fiddles with the clasp at Kal-El’s throat, “harem too?” 

“Kryptonian females are allowed to have harems but it’s not expected of them the way it is of males.” 

Lex doesn’t say anything and seems to be mulling over Kal-El’s words. Kal-El leans in and kisses him, deeply on the mouth. When Lex reciprocates he takes it as encouragement and begins unbuttoning Lex’s shirt. Lex pulls back from the kiss and gives him a skeptical look. 

“What are you doing?” Lex cocks his head to the side and adopts a naive expression. 

“You have to change don’t you?” Kal-El smirks 

“I can do that myself.” 

“Or I could do it for you.” 

Kal-El pulls Lex forward gently by the collar of his shirt and kisses him again. As they kiss he continues undoing buttons and slides the shirt slowly off of his Earthling’s shoulders. He dips his head to lick along a collar bone and begins easing Lex onto his back. 

“We shouldn’t.” Lex says with minimal conviction. “You’re already dressed.” 

“That can be remedied.” Kal-El laughs. “...or I could just take care of you.” 

At that, Lex finally allows himself to be pushed back onto the bad. Kal-El straddles his legs and begins unfastening his belt but before he can finish there’s a knock on the door. Reluctantly, Kal-El removes himself from Lex and goes to answer the door. Behind it he finds Brainiac. 

“Sorry to interrupt.” Brainiac glances briefly at Lex. 

“It’s alright.” Kal-El says, not entirely honestly. 

“Your father woul dlike to speak with you in his chambers before Captain Kara Zor-El arrives.” 

“Of course.” Kal-El glances regretfully back at Lex. 

“It’s alright.” Lex gets to his feet. “I’ll...finish changing and you can come back for me.” 

Kal-El nods and forces a smile, then kisses Lex one last time and follows Brainiac from the room. He is lead out onto the sundeck where his father is waiting for him. For a moment Jor-El stands with his back to him, watching the Yellow Sun set. Kal-El waits in respectful silence to be acknowledged. 

“Come here Kal-El.” Jor-El motions to the spot beside him and Kal-El steps forward and leans against the railing. Despite having been here nearly a year, the Earth sunset never fails to take his breath away. 

“I take it things are going well.” His father says, still without facing him. 

“Very well.” Kal-El can’t help but smile. 

“Good.” Jor-El nods. “The son of Luthor was a wise choice and I’m proud of how you seem to have smoothed over that...little misunderstanding.” 

“I have found Lex Luthor to be surprisingly reasonable...for an Earthling.” Kal-El doesn’t like saying things like that about Lex but he doesn’t want his father to think he’s lost sight of his loyalties. 

“He is indeed a credit to our house.” Jor-El pauses for so long that Kal-El begins to think he’s finished speaking but then goes on. “I do not want you to think that I’m not pleased to see you happy.” 

“I don’t think think that...” Kal-El smiles. “Why would I?” 

“I could not help but notice that you seem quite...preoccupied with your new charge.” 

“Should I not be?” 

“It is good to be attentive to those who are in your care.” His father nods in acquiescence. “But you do realize that if it appears that you are too...subject to the whims of your concubine others may interpret it as weakness.” 

“Lex knows his place.” Kal-El struggles not to sound defensive, he knows his father only means well. 

“Of that I’ve no doubt.” Jor-El raises a hand in a gesture of plication. “My concern is merely for how it may appear to others.” 

“I understand.” Kal-El nods because he does understand, even though he doesn’t like it. 

“Also...have you given any thought to the possibility that your feelings for the Earthling may be...disproportionately amplified by the fact that his is the only flesh you’ve known?” 

“Father....I know my own mind.” 

“I’ve no doubt of that, my son, but it is not the mind of which we are speaking. It is the heart.” Here Jor-El finally turns to him. “The heart which is firmly rooted in the body and thus, sadly, all too subject to it’s foibles.” 

“I do not care only for Lex Luthor’s body!” Kal-El is mortified to hear anger in his own voice and immediately bows his head by way of apology. 

“Oh, my son.” Jor-El places a comforting hand on Kal-El’s shoulder. “I do dearly hope that that is true. For the first one you laid with to be one who can provide you with lasting companionship as well as physical gratification would be my fondest wish for you but you and Lex Luthor have passed only a month together and you cannot rule out the possibility that this may be infatuation.” 

“I can’t imagine my affections for him ever waning.” Kal-El says firmly. 

“Kal-El.” Jor-El smiles, his eyes fill with tenderness. “There is much that is difficult to imagine when you’re young.” 

Kal-El feels his throat tighten and doesn’t trust himself to speak. 

“And suppose,” Jor-El goes on, his tone gentle, “that you are right. Suppose your affections for him remain even after the initial infatuation wares off. No matter how strong your...fondness for him, there may come a time when you no longer lust after him.” 

Kal-El furrows his brow. 

“My son.” Jor-El sighs. “Humans may age at relatively the same rate we do but time, as most things, takes a greater toll on their bodies than it does ours. Even if your affections for the Earthling remain, there may come a time when he no longer satisfies your...needs. When his body no longer appeals to you. If that does happen, your being able to have those needs met elsewhere may be the greatest mercy to you both. This may seem counterintuitive but, believe me, your connection to him will remain all the stronger if you do not make physical monogamy a part of it’s foundation.” 

“But...I don’t want anyone else.” Kal-El grasps at straws. 

“You may not now but if you create a precedent of your preferring his...presence in your bed over that of all others as a sign of how strongly you care for him and then there comes a time when the former is no longer the case, don’t you think that he will then assume the latter is also no longer the case? Don’t you think that that will hurt him?” 

“I...suppose.” Kal-El says reluctantly. Jor-El has always had a knack for making his own way seem like the only logical choice. 

“Good.” Jor-El sounds both gratified and relieved. “And, besides, for a man to have many concubines and to have all of them well kept and cared for is a mark of good character.” 

“Father,” Kal-El feels a realization gnawing at the back of his mind, “does this have anything to do with that gift Kara is bringing me?” 

Jor-El looks thoughtfully at him for a long moment and then sights. 

“Act surprised.” He says flatly before turning to leave the sundeck.


	10. Lex

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know there's people who don't like Lana but I like Lana and I liked her and Lex's weird, uncomfortable relationship in the show...so there's gonna' be some of that in here...brace yourselves.

Lex tries to remember the last time he wore his tuxedo....last New Year, probably. He remembers that his father had had his annual “get together” for all of Lexcorp’s shareholders and he had browbeat Lex into attending. Lex, who could never stand being surrounded by sycophants, had had a little too much to drink. When Lionel noticed him slurring his speech, he’d dragged him off into the coat room to lecture him about public image. That had escalated into an argument which had escalated into a fist fight. 

He’d gotten a few good blows in before Lionel’s bodyguards had pulled them apart. Lex often found himself wondering which of them would have killed the other by now had it not been for the Luthor security team. By way of punishment, Lionel had made him spend three weeks in rehab. Lex refills his glass as though in retroactive defiance. Besides, he’s going to need something to help him get through an entire evening surrounded by Kryptonians. 

He’s...used to Kal-El, he supposes. He’s even learned to enjoy Kal-El’s company...at least when he’s able to force himself to forget the circumstances. A few times he’s even caught himself wistfully wondering what it would be like had he and Kal-El met on a more even playing field but then reminds himself that that could never have happened. Kal-El is NOT human and the only reason his people came to Earth was so they could steal it from it’s rightful inhabitants. He also reminds himself that being ‘wistful’ is not something he does. 

Anyway, the point is that he can handle Kal-El. He knows what to expect from Kal-El and how to get what he wants from Kal-El (within reason.) The others still put him off though. The others who look at him as though he’s (at best) a novel object and openly talk about him as though he’s not there, knowing he won’t respond unless they speak directly to him. Kal-El sometimes asks Lex to recite things Brainiac has taught him to impress the others and they compliment Kal-El on his good taste and say things like “there’s something almost Kryptonian about him.” Lex has learned that this is not an expression of their high opinion of him but rather of their low opinion of humans, as they say this about any human who exhibits anything that they would consider a good quality. 

On the nights after days like that, Lex is particularly inventive in the bedroom, just to remind himself that there are still some things over which he has agency. He gets a certain amount of satisfaction out of taking Kal-El from hesitant, to willing, to begging for more and knowing that he can do it over and over again. He likes to make Kal-El just a little uncomfortable and then make him love that discomfort. Kal-El looks as beautiful in the throes of ecstasy as he does in the throes of desperation and Lex makes a point of seeing him in both those states as often as he can. Kal-El could stop him, of course, but he doesn’t and something about having someone LET him do those things to them is just...just... 

The really funny thing is that Lex wasn’t even particularly kinky before. He also gets a certain amount of satisfaction out of wondering what Jor-El would think of all the things his precious boy has let this “lesser being” do to him. A wicked, hateful, vindictive part of his mind imagines telling Jor-El all about it someday...preferably before killing him. He thinks about that when Jor-El looks down at him condescendingly or smiles at him as though by doing so he were paying him some sort of honor. He really does HATE Jor-El. 

Lex has been studying and not just with Brainiac, he’s found Kal-El to be an equally fertile repository of information. The trick, he’s learned, is to ask the questions so indirectly that Kal-El does not even register them as questions. Kal-El wants to talk to Lex and Lex has learned to use this to his advantage. By vaguely implying that he may in fact want a baby (he doesn’t), Lex has learned that atmospheric conditions on Earth are not suitable for the development of Kryptonian children but that they do have a means for ‘converting’ it and that this will be a complex and time consuming process and that General Zod is constantly prodding Jor-El to begin said process as soon a s possible. By feigning concern for Kal-El’s well being after a few Kryptonians fell ill from exposure to something in one of the mines, Lex has learned that Kryptonians are all deathly allergic to one mineral (which they’ve ironically named ‘Kryptonite’.) 

Lex has also learned that Kal-El is far more forthcoming with information when it is requested between kisses...or when one or both of them are naked. Sometimes at night, to distract himself from how right it feels to be lying there in Kal-El’s arms, Lex goes over what little he’s learned in his head. It may not be much but it is a comfort to know that there are a limited number of them and that there is a way to destroy them and that he has time in which to figure out exactly how he’ll make use of the second bit of information. The Kryptonite found down in the mine was taken away and destroyed, so no hope there, but if he learns how it got there in the first place he can start on figuring out where there might be more. Not that that information would do him any good in his current, severely restricted, situation but one can never plan too far ahead. For the time being he can only wait for opportunities to come to him. 

He’s fastening his platinum, monogrammed cuff links when Kal-El comes back into the room. As usual the alien stands at a distance for a moment, admiring him, before coming closer. He comes up just behind Lex and kisses him on the cheek. 

“Everything alright?” Lex asks, pretending to be engrossed in struggling with his bow tie. 

“Fine.” Kal-El glances down and to the left the way he always does when he’s lying. “Father just wanted to...um prepare me for something.” 

“Anything I should worry about?” Lex glances back at him over his shoulder. Kal-El retreats slightly to sit on the bed and studies him a moment longer. 

“No,” he finally decides, “you have nothing to worry about at all.” Lex nods, pretending that that joke of an answer has satisfied him, and returns his attention to the mirror in front of him. 

“I was just asking because you seem worried.” He tosses out absently. 

“You know...” Kal-El bites his lip, “that I...adore you, don’t you?” 

Lex turns to him, adopts a look of concern. 

“You know,” Kal-El presses on, “that I’ve never felt the way I do about you about anyone and...no matter what my father says, I know that’ll never change...and...and I just hope you know that.” 

“I do.” Lex says simply. “I am a little curious as to why you suddenly feel the need to remind me.” Kal-El chews his lip for a moment before tentatively going on. 

“It’s just that...” he takes a deep breath, “I’m not supposed to know this, but my father gave me the impression that the ‘gift’ Kara is bringing me might be...another concubine.” 

Lex forces himself to not react, he can see how this might lead to trouble for him but he’s not about to tip his hand to Kal-EL about his concerns. 

“And this is a problem?” He cocks his head. 

“It...doesn’t bother you?” Kal-El looks confused and just a tiny bit wounded, as though he had been expecting Lex to fly into a jealous rage and is disappointed that he didn’t. It’s hard for Lex not to laugh at such a ridiculous expectation. 

“Well, a ‘harem’ typically includes more than one person, so it would have been naive of me to assume I’d be the only one forever.” Lex walks over and sits on the opposite end of the bed from Kal-El. “Not to mention a little arrogant.” 

“I just, wouldn’t want to hurt you.” Kal-El begins to edge down the bad towards him. 

“Why would that hurt me?” Lex knows why but he also knows that his asking why makes this harder for Kal-El and he doesn’t mind that one bit. 

“I just...” Kal-El flounders, “I just wouldn’t want you to think that your place here is in jeopardy.” 

At that Lex openly laughs. 

“I like to think I’ve carved out a pretty good niche for myself.” He gives Kal-El a suggestive look, savors Kal-El’s blush. 

“Not just that.” Kal-El reaches over and takes his hand, runs his thumb over Lex’s brand it what has become an all too familiar gesture. “I want you to know that you’re special to me...that no one else will ever be as...special to me.” 

“Well, sure, you always develope a certain amount of sentimentality about your first.” He knows this isn’t what Kal-El means and knows that his offhanded demeanor is hurting the alien but twists the knife anyway. “I don’t have any delusions about what this is though.” 

All at once tears well up in Kal-El’s eyes and suddenly Lex isn’t enjoying himself any more. He feels a stab of something very inconvenient in his chest. Kal-El raises Lex’s hands to his lips and kisses it with a desperate urgency. 

“I just want to you know...” he chokes one as tears begin to fall, “that I love you. I love you so, so much and it’s ok if you don’t feel the same way because not even that would change the fact that I love you and I’ll always take care of you because...I don’t think I could live without you.” 

Inside Lex, guilt, rage and frustration vie for dominance. There are so many things he wants to say. He wants to say “you don’t love me, you don’t know what love is you goddamned alien”, he wants to say “you don’t love me, if you loved me you wouldn’t have made me a slave”, he wants to say “you don’t love me, if you loved me you wouldn’t be taking my planet away from me.” He can’t though, mostly because he knows that even if Kal-El agrees with him about these things (which would be the best possible outcome), there’s not really anything Kal-El could do to fix them but also because he’s so torn between the urge to strike the boy and the urge to kiss away his tears that he can’t even speak. Before he even realizes that he’d leaned forward, he finds himself kissing Kal-El. 

Kal-El clings to him almost hard enough to to crush him and they keep kissing until they're both out of breath. Lex WILL NOT say it back...for a multitude of reasons, so he winds up saying something that feels almost as much like surrendering. 

“I trust you.” 

By the look on Kal-El’s face, Lex may as well have said that he loves him. He pulls Lex into another kiss before pulling back to wipe his eyes with his sleeve. Lex waits patiently for him to collect himself. Eventually Kal-El stands and offers him a hand, he takes it. 

“Isn’t there...more?” He asks, gesturing to Lex’s outfit. 

“Yeah.” Lex nods and then goes to the wardrobe and takes out his tuxedo jacket. He puts it on and Kal-El walks over and does up the buttons. 

“Beautiful.” Kal-El smiles and runs a hand down the lapel. 

When they go out to the front of the stronghold to greet the new arrival Lex is made to wait beside the door, being guarded by Brainiac. In front of him is a line of soldiers and in front of them are Jor-El, Kal-El and General Zod. Kara Zor-El is a tall, slender woman in her late twenties with long, blonde hair. Her naturally sweet looking features are set into a hard, sober mask as she kneels before General Zod (which Lex has learner is the Kryptonian version of a salute.) When she sees Kal-El her eyes brighten but apart from that she conceals her excitement. 

Behind her is another group of soldiers but off to her right, being guarded by another Brainiac, is a very slight, young girl with olive skin, slanted green eyes and long, straight dark brown hair. It’s evident she’s not a soldier and not only because she’s not wearing armor. He notes that, despite the lack of shackles, she stands with her hands clasped tightly in front of her. Her eyes are locked on the ground. Kal-El keeps glancing over at her. 

When the initial formalities are complete the four of them head back into the stronghold. The soldiers part for them and as they enter, Kal-El motions to Lex to follow him. Once inside the dining hall everyone seems to relax, with the exception of General Zod (who never relaxes) and the young girl (for obvious reasons.) Lex watches her being shepherded around by Brainiac and empathizes. Things start off the same way most human social gatherings start off, with people milling around and making conversation, getting ‘caught up.’ Lex stands silently behind Kal-El, half listening to he and Kara’s conversation, until Kal-El reaches back and grabs his hand. 

“This is Lex Luthor.” Kal-El says proudly. “My primary consort.” 

“My, my.” Kara giggles in a way entirely unexpected from someone bearing the title of Captain. “He certainly is...exotic.” 

“He’s incredibly intelligent.” Kal-El elaborates, eagerly. “He’s only had about four months of study and he’s already functionally literate in Kryptonian.” 

“Really?” Lex hates Kara for looking so surprised. 

“Oh, yes.” Kal-El squeezes his hand. “And he’s demonstrated a remarkable affinity for our military history as well as an encyclopedic knowledge of the military history of his own people. He’s even named for a great general...who was it again?” 

“Alexander of Macedon.” Lex supplies helpfully, being sure not to make eye contact and to keep his voice soft. 

“That’s fascinating.” Kara places a hand on Lex’s arm to signify that she is speaking directly to him. “I’ll have to have Kal-El loan you to me for a night some time so you can tell me all about him.” 

“If Kal-El would give me leave to do so, I’d be delighted.” Lex gives her his best ‘cocktail party’ smile. 

“He’s sweet .” Kara beams at Kal-El and Lex resists the urge to tell her that that’s the last word anyone with any sense would use to describe him. 

“Well, he can be.” Kal-El says, as though picking up on Lex’s discomfort. “Father sent me to conduct negotiations with his father back in the spring and when I saw him I just...knew he was for me.” 

Kal-El smiles tenderly at Lex who forces himself to smile back. Throughout all of this the young girl has been standing silently behind Kara, her head bowed, Brainiac beside her with a hand on her shoulder. Lex noticed a long time ago that Brainiac, despite how exuberant and talkative he is around Lex, Kal-El, Jor-El or any combination of the three, becomes a grim ghost of himself when in a room with a larger number of Kryptoninans. He idles beside the girl with no expression on his face, eyes forward. The only exception is when another him passes near him and he gives a slight nod of acknowledgement in it’s direction, this seems to be involuntary. 

When it comes time for the meal, Lex and the young girl are seated on a smaller, lower table off to the side of the platform that holds the main table which holds Jor-El, Kal-El, General Zod and Captain Kara Zor-El. The soldiers sit at long tables adjacent to it. The girl looks intently at her food for the first few minutes and, at a loss for how it is one starts a conversation under these circumstances, Lex pretends to be equally absorbed in his. Occasionally she’ll glance up at him only to return her eyes to her food as soon as he notices. Eventually she works up the nerve to speak. 

“So you’re...with Kal-El?” She asks in a whisper so soft he’d have thought he’d imagined it if he hadn’t seen her lips move. 

“I BELONG to Kal-El...yes.” 

“So he likes men?” She says a little louder with the expression of someone latching on to a glimmer of hope. 

“At this point I’d be very surprised to learn that he didn’t.” Lex says dryly. 

“I’m sorry.” She she laughs nervously. “What I mean is, he prefers men...so he won’t be interested in me...right?” 

“I’m afraid I couldn’t say for sure.” Lex feels genuine pity when he sees the poor girls face fall. “And, actually, among Kryptonians it’s considered an insult to reject a...gift. So even if he won’t be making use of you he’s definitely keeping you...I’m sorry.” 

The girl falls silent again and goes back to staring down at her plate, looking as though her spirit is broken. 

"Where did they get you?” He asks gently. 

“Smallville.” She whispers. 

“Smallville?” 

“It’s a little town in Kansas...not the sort of place you’d expect aliens to have any interest in.” She says bitterly. 

“Did they take everyone in the town?” 

“No.” The girl shakes her head sadly. “Just me...just stupid, stupid me.” 

“How did it happen?” He looks firmly into her eyes. 

“I...went for a walk just outside the town borders...around sundown and that one...” she points at the Brainiac closest to them, “snatched me up.” 

“Why do you suppose he did that?” 

“I don’t need to suppose.” She glares at the same Brainiac. “They needed a local to tell them about the meteor rocks.” 

“Meteor rocks?” Lex lowers his voice to a furtive whisper and looks carefully around to make sure no one is listening in on their conversation. 

“Yeah.” She follows his example and lower her voice. “Green glowing rocks that got scattered all around Smallville in a meteor shower years ago...they wanted to know how many of them there were.” 

Lex only nods his understanding and then decides it would be best to change the subject and pick this up again if they’re ever alone together. 

“What’s your name?” He’s almost embarrassed that he hasn’t thought to ask yet. 

“Lana Lang.” 

“I’m Lex Luthor.” He extends a hand to her and she gingerly takes it. Her hand is tiny in his. 

“Luthor?” Her eyes go wide. “I thought I recognized you from somewhere...your dad is one of the richest people in the world.” 

“Yeah.” Lex sighs. “And look at all the good it’s done me.” 

“I don’t understand.” She furrows her brow. “How did you wind up here?” 

“Well,” Lex tries to smile but it comes out as more of a scowl, “my loving father though that it would be in everyones best interest to give me to Jor-El as a token of good faith...and, of course, by ‘everyone’ I mean him.” 

“That’s terrible.” Lana gives him a look of such pure, raw empathy that he feels guilty it’s being wasted on him. 

“I wasn’t exactly caught off guard by it, our relationship has never been the warmest.” He takes a bite of his food mostly as an excuse to stop making eye contact. “Besides, it could have been worse.” 

“How could it be worse?” She asks and it occurs to him that she has no way of knowing about the mines or the farms or the forced labor camps. For once in his life he doesn’t feel like tarnishing someone's innocence, so he changes the subject again. 

“I’m going to give you some advice, Lana. Are you listening?” Lana nods. “I know you’re probably not happy about this, believe me I understand, and I know all your instincts are probably telling you to resist but if you do you’ll only be making things harder for yourself. You can’t fight this, you can only survive it.” 

“I’m a virgin.” Lana suddenly blurts out and then lowers her head to stifle a sob. 

“I really am sorry.” Lex says and he really is. “But...it’s more important for you to stay alive than it is for you to...preserve that part of yourself. Anyone who’s ever told you otherwise was doing you a disservice.” 

Lana nods hesitantly but still won’t look at him. 

“I’m scared.” She whispers tightly. 

“Just follow my lead and you’ll be fine.” He says with a confidence he doesn’t at all feel. “I promise.” 

Their eyes lock and for a moment a silent understanding passes between them. The moment is shattered by Brainiac. 

“Wine?” 

They both look up to see the android standing there with an unmarked bottle of dark red liquid. 

“Thank you.” Lex says and extends his glass. 

“Uh...sure...why not?” Lana forces a nervous smile and shakily lifts her own glass. 

Lex takes a long swallow of his and Lana watches as if he’s performing some sort of demonstration. When he sets his glass down and looks at her questioningly she flushes and takes a swallow from hers...then cringes violently. 

“How old are you?” It suddenly occurs to Lex to ask. 

“I’ll be sixteen in a week.” Lana responds, looking into her wine glass. 

“Oh.” Lex tries not to seem as mortified as he is. 

“How old are you?” She asks, seemingly just to keep the conversation going. 

“Twenty three.” He takes another long swallow. 

“Oh.” She says and tries to match his swallow but with the same results as before.


	11. Lana

By the end of the meal, Lana has worked her way through four glasses of that horrible tasting wine and barely eaten anything. This is the first alcohol she’s ever had (despite Whitney teasing her for being such a ‘good girl’) and she discovers that the more she drinks the less she minds the taste. If she weren’t so terrified, she’d be laughing at the absurdity of the situation. She, Lana Lang, a small town girl from Kansas, is sharing a table with a billionaire at a banquet in a castle in the middle of a barley field where everyone is dressed like they’re going to some sort of bizarre, scifi renaissance fair. 

“Why do you get to wear normal clothes?” The question is out of her mouth before she realizes it and she’s embarrassed at the slight slur in her voice. 

“You might want to slow down a little.” He leans in and whispers.

“Sorry.” She stammers. “I’m just...I can’t...” 

“I know.” He gives her a sympathetic look then reaches across the table and takes her glass, pours half of it’s contents into his. “I don’t blame you for wanting to take the edge off but you need to pace yourself.” 

She nods and lifts her glass again, takes a small, controlled sip. She finds her eyes drifting over to Kal-El, finds herself thinking that at least he’s not terrible to look at and then berating herself for it. These things killed Whitney. 

“What is he...like?” She asks tentatively. Lex’s expression betrays that, to him, that’s a complicated question. 

“He’s been...” He takes another drink of his wine and a deep breath as though he’s about to make a terrible confession, “as good to me as can be expected, given the circumstances.” 

“How good is that?” Lana keeps her voice soft, there’s something wounded in Lex’s eyes. 

“If you play your cards right, Kal-El will be the least of your worries.” 

“But he’ll be the one...” She can’t bring herself to say it. 

“Yes, he will.” Lex says flatly. “But that part doesn’t have to be bad if you don’t want it to be.” 

His voice breaks a little but he covers it by taking another drink. Lana wonders how long he’s been here and feels a pang of sympathy. He looks composed but beneath that there’s an undercurrent of crackling tension that he seems to have to constantly work to conceal. 

“How is...it going to go?” 

“What do you mean?” 

“Is...is it going to be tonight? Tomorrow night? Is it just going to be me and...him or...or are you going to be there?” The more questions she asks the more her heart rate speeds up, she takes a big swallow of her wine to quell it and grimaces considerably less than before. She is, however, feeling more and more light headed. 

“I can’t really say for sure.” His expression softens slightly. “He and I share a room but he might have me sent somewhere else on his first night with you...but maybe not.” 

She feels herself blush under his gaze and, noting this, he quickly glances away. With dull horror, she imagines what that must be like, sleeping beside one of those monsters night after night. Her horror is compounded when she remembers that the same will be expected of her. Before now a man has never even seen her naked and now she’s going to be expected to bare all to an alien prince and his kept man. She instantly feels guilty for thinking of Lex that way. 

“I don’t want to be alone with him.” She finds herself saying, her tongue loosened by the wine. Lex regards her thoughtfully for a moment. 

“I could try to arrange it so that you won’t be...at least at first.” He says. “I do have some influence over him but sooner or later, sooner if he likes you, you’re going to have to be alone with him and the quicker you can get comfortable with that, the better.” 

“How could I possibly be comfortable with that?” Tears begin to threaten in her eyes but she blinks them away. 

“Kal-El won’t hurt you.” He says with determination. “I’ll act as as much of a buffer as I can because you seem like a nice girl and I realize how hard this is for you but there are definite limits to what I can do...being that I have no real authority of any kind.” 

“Thank you.” Is all Lana can think to say and then they lapse into silence and stay there until Brainiac returns to the table. He taps Lana on the shoulder. 

“I’ve been instructed to take you and prepare you for the ceremony.” He says, not a hint of question or even a polite request to be found. Lana rises hesitantly and starts to follow him, glancing back at Lex. She’s not foolish enough to think she’s any safer with Lex then she is without him but his being the only other human here makes her want to cling to him. 

“It’s ok.” Lex says. “I’m sure I’ll be seeing you again before too long.” 

Lana is brought into a big open room one wall of which is covered in cabinets. She’s told to stand in front of a full length mirror in the middle of the room while Brainiac goes and rummages around. Eventually he returns with a large quantity of fabric draped over his arm and hands it to Lana. 

“Do I actually get to do it myself this time?” She narrows her eyes at him. 

“Have at it.” Brainiac shrugs and retreats about a yard. 

“I don’t suppose you’d be willing to leave me alone?” She asks and gets the expected shake of the head in response. She comforts herself with the thought that he’s at least not touching her and begins to undress. She gets the foundation layers of the outfit on on her own but then isn’t sure how to proceed. 

“Problem?” Brainiac asks. 

“Um...could you?” She holds the remaining pieces up to him. 

“Thought you wanted to do this yourself.” He teases and she glares. He takes the remaining bits of fabric and applies them where they're meant to be. There is a sort of waist cincher that closes with little metal clips and a gold pectoral collar, a little chain connects the front of the collar to the front of the cincher. Lana thinks it looks ridiculous. 

“Now,” Brainiac begins, “what’s going to happen is, in a few minutes, I’m going to take you to the ceremonial chamber where Jor-El will perform a sort of ‘marriage’ between you and Kal-El. At the completion of the ceremony you will be banded with Kal-El’s name sign and then you and him will proceed to his quarters for the consummation.” 

“Branded?” Lana gapes. “Like...like a cow?” 

“Yep.” Brainiac says briskly, “just like a cow. Being Kal-El’s secondary concubine, you’ll be given a less elaborate brand than Lex Luthor but it can be altered should Kal-El ever deem you his favorite.” 

“He would show his favor by searing another mark into my skin?” 

Yep.” 

Lana honestly doesn’t know what to say she doesn’t say anything. She begins to pace the room. The alcohol is still in her system, making her feel loose and clumsy, but anxiety seems to have cleared her head. Her mind suddenly begins desperately racing to think of ways out of this. There are no windows in the room and, even if there were, she has no hope of out running Brainiac. He made that clear the one time she tried to make a run for it...she thinks they were in Iowa when it happened. She has to stop herself from bolting for the door, reminding herself that there’s nothing out there but more super-humanly fast, super-humanly strong jailers who would stop her before she even made it outside. She doesn’t want to know how she’d be punished for an escape attempt. Then again, they may not even bother to punish her, they’d probably just laugh at the silly little human thinking she stood a chance against them. That would be so, so much worse. She doesn’t need to be reminded of how helpless she is. 

Mentally, she kicks herself for not having agreed with Whitney one of the many times he’d tried to convince her that they were ready to take their relationship ‘to the next level.’Then she could have taken solace in knowing that at least that one special part of herself had gone to someone she’d chosen...they may be able to take the rest of her but not that one special part. If she was honest with herself, she had planned on Whitney being her first, she’d just been scared and had thought that she had so much more time to get comfortable with the idea. She thinks back on how insecure the knowledge that Whitney had been with other girls before her had made her and realizes for the first time how petty that had been. She thinks that if she’d been a little braver or even a just little more honest with him, he’d at least not have died thinking that she didn’t want him. 

She feels herself start to choke up and shakes her head as though doing so will clear her mind. 

“You alright?” Brainiac asks, with minimal investment. 

“I’m fine.” She doesn’t even bother to make it a convincing lie. 

“Good, because it’s time.” 

Brainiac starts off down the hall, trusting her to follow and she does because she has no other choice. They come to a set of large metal doors inscribed with symbols that Lana doesn’t recognize. Brainiac pushes them open and they enter a small room with a high, curved ceiling. The ceiling is covered with more of the symbols. At the front of the room is a large stone slab that Lana recognizes as an altar. Behind it, carved into the stone of the wall, is an image of a setting sun. Jor-El is standing in front of the altar and Kal-El is kneeling in front of him, off to Lana’s far right are Lex and Kara Zor-El. 

“Come take your place.” Jor-El says, nodding to the floor beside his son. Lana slowly crosses the room and kneels. She glanced briefly over at Kal-El and sees that his eyes are still fixed on the floor. Jor-El begins chanting in a language Lana doesn’t understand and she suddenly begins to wish she’s had a lot more wine. The urge to get up and bolt for the door is nearly overwhelming. 

When Jor-El has finished, he lights a fire in large metal bowl in front of them and hands something to Kal-El. Kal-El takes it and holds it in the fire and when it starts glowing he hold his hand out to Lana. When she doesn’t offer her’s he reaches over and takes it. Just as he’s about to press the heated metal to her skin, she closes her eyes and sucks in air hard through her teeth. She feels two tears slither down her cheeks but doesn’t let more fall. Before the pain can become unbearable, he removes the branding iron. 

“It’s done.” She hears Ka-EL softly whisper and opens her eyes. Without meaning to, she makes eye contact with him and her heart begins to race and she begins to noticeably tremble. Instinctively she tries to jerk her hand away from him but he doesn’t let her. Kal-El stands before she does and pulls her gently to her feet. He leads her from the room and Lex follows a few paces behind. He opens the door to his room for her and she freezes up completely. Wrapping his arm around her waist, he basically carries her into the room. Lex comes in after them and closes the door. She expects him to let her go when they’re inside but he doesn’t. 

Holding her close to him, he grabs a hold of her chin and raises her face to meet his. For several tense moments he examines her, runs his eyes over her face, brushes her hair back from her neck. She half expects him to open her mouth and look at her teeth. He gives her a brief peck on the mouth before stepping back. 

“What do you think of her?” He asks Lex, who by now is across the room pouring some sort of brown liquor into two glasses. 

“She’s...beautiful.” Lex says hesitantly, as though it makes him feel dirty. “And very sweet, if you talk to her.” 

“Oh,” Kal-El gives an embarrassed little laugh. “I’m sorry, Lana, when you’re in my quarters you can speak freely.” 

“Ok.” Lana says dumbly, finding her tongue cumbersome in her mouth. 

Lex walks over and hands her one of the glasses and then walks over to Kal-El and kisses him. It starts out light and then intensifies until Kal-El’s eyes roll back in his head. Feeling her face get hot, Lana shifts her focus to the contents of her glass and keeps it there until she hears one of them speak. 

“I meant to be focusing on her tonight.” Kal-El murmurs playfully. 

“What’s the rush?” Lex wraps his arms around Kal-El’s neck and kisses him again. “She’ll still be here tomorrow night.” 

For a moment Kal-El seems tempted but then he pushes Lex away. 

“Come on.” Lex goads, running his hands down Kal-El’s chest and then leaning back in to whisper in his ear. “We could have her watch...she might learn something.” 

“No.” Kal-El says firmly, taking a step back. “This is an important night for her, that wouldn’t be fair.” 

“You don’t have to hold back on my account.” Lana tries to keep the desperation out of her voice. Kal-El looks at her as though he had forgotten she was there. 

“Don’t be ridiculous.” He smiles as flash of too-white teeth. “Putting off consummation would be neglectful...besides, I’ve already had Lex twice today.” Lana feels her blush deepen, she futilely wills her body to stop shaking. Kal-El approaches her and winds his arms around her waist. He kisses her, slowly and thoroughly. 

“It’s alright.” He says when he notices she’s still shaking. “Lex told me that you’re a virgin.” 

“Wha...what?” She stammers and glances from one man to the other. 

“I thought it would be for the best if he knew.” Lex says calmly lock eyes with Lana. “So that he would know to be patient with you.” 

“Aren’t you going to drink that?” Kal-El nods toward the glass that she had forgotten was in her hand. “Oh, yes.” Lana says eagerly, assuming that actual...activities won’t begin until she finishes. She steps back from Kal-El and takes a small sip. It takes all the control in her body not to cringe at the bitter flavor. “It’s good.” 

“It’s Lex’s favorite.” Kal-El walks over to Lex and begins undoing his bow tie. Seeing the unguarded affection in Kal-El’s eyes, Lana realizes that not only is she going to be a sex slave but also a third wheel. Although, for some reason, the knowledge that Kal-El will be sleeping with her against her will out of a sense of formal obligation instead of genuine desire makes her feel just a tiny bit better about it.It hit’s her how awful the situation must truly be if she has to look that hard for a silver lining. 

“You know, I saw you in a magazine once.” Lana says to Lex, desperate to keep the conversation going. 

“Really?” Lex sounds a little too intrigued in a clear bid to help Lana with her goal. “I think I was on the cover of Forbes a couple times.” 

“I don’t read that...actually I think it may have been...” Lana suddenly feels terribly juvenile and stupid, “...Us Weekly’s top one hundred most eligible bachelors.” 

She giggles nervously and quickly takes another awful tasting sip from her glass. She’s surprised to hear Lex laugh. 

“Well, I don’t read that but I guess I’m flattered.” He smiles at her almost genuinely. “What number was I?” 

“I don’t remember.” Lana giggles again, all too aware that Kal-El seems very amused by their exchange. “It’s weird, the people they put on those lists are always the sort of people who’d never read those lists.” 

They both laugh and then silence falls like a lead curtain. Kal-El walks up behind her and runs his hands through her hair then starts kissing her neck. She takes a big swallow from her glass but it does nothing to stop her from shaking again. 

“It’s ok.” Kal-El whispers in her ear. “Until recently I was a virgin too.” 

“Um...maybe...” Lex says, anxiety beginning to show in his eyes, “she’d be more comfortable if you undressed first.” 

Kal-El looks at him questioningly. 

“Inexperienced humans tend to be a little self conscious about their bodies.” Lex elaborates. 

“Oh, alright.” Kal-El smiles at Lana reassuringly and then quickly undresses. Lana had seen Whitney naked only once when they’d been up at his parents cabin during the summer and he had tried to get her to go skinny dipping with him. Kal-El’s body was considerably more...mature than his. The glass she had forgotten she was holding slips out of her hand and Kal-El movies in a blur to catch it before it hits the ground. 

“I think you’ve had enough.” He laughs as he sets the glass on a nearby table. She tries not to tense up when he pulls her back into his arms but she does, and she gasps. 

“It’s ok Lana.” Lex looks at her pointedly from the other side of the room. “I’m not the jealous type.” 

Lana reaches up and puts her arms around Kal-El’s neck, she tries to look into his eyes but can’t. He kisses her and she tries to focus on the sensation and not think about where it’s coming from. He’s not a bad kisser and she tries to give at least as good as she gets despite how her lips are trembling. She runs her nails up and down the the back of his neck and he growls into her mouth, intensifies the kiss. She can feel something hard pressing against her but tries not to think about it. 

When he pulls back she’s dizzy and breathless. Kal-El starts to undress her and she fights the urge to push his hands away. She tries to clear her mind, to just feel and not think. Once he’s removed the cincher and the pectoral collar he moves behind her to undo the undo the laces holding her dress closed. It drops into a crimson pool at her feet and suddenly her entire body is exposed to the open air. She glances over at Lex and he immediately averts his gaze, something like guilt twisting his features. Kal-El turns her face to him and starts kissing her again. He puts his left arm around her waist and gropes her breasts with is right hand. She gasps and shivers when he rolls her nipple between his thumb and forefinger. He seems to take this as encouragement, smiles against her mouth and keeps going. He continues massaging and caressing her breasts and she’s so distracted by that that the feeling of his fingers sliding over her folds catches her completely off guard and she reflexively tries to pull away from him. 

“Kal-EL.” Lex says. “You’re going to want to take it slow, it takes women a little longer to...warm up than men.” 

“Could you show me?” Kal-El asks shyly. 

Lana’s already racing heart speeds up even more as Lex quickly downs what’s left of her drink and then approaches her. She’s somewhat comforted by the fact that he doesn’t undress. He reaches between her legs to where Kal-El’s hand still is and repositions Kal-El’s fingers so that two are on her clitoris. A full body shudder runs through her. 

“Feel that?” Lex asks Kal-El and Kal-El nods and starts moving his fingers in a tight little circle. Completely of it’s own accord, the moan bubbles up out of Lana’s throat as heat spreads through her, radiating from between her legs through her entire nervous system. She’s ashamed when she realizes that she’s spread her legs wider without even realizing it. Lex begins to back away but Kal-El stops him. 

“Kiss her.” He whispers, his breath wet against the side of Lana’s neck. 

For the first time since this started, Lex makes eye contact with Lana. He looks apologetic as he leans in and presses his mouth gently against her. Lana moans again as Kal-El speeds up the movement of his hand and Lex’s tongue slides between her parted lips. Her right arm is still around Kal-El’s neck and she wraps her left around Lex’s. She kisses him desperately and clings to him like a life line. He tastes like brown liquor but the things he does with his tongue help her not to mind. One of his hands comes up to caress the side of her neck, trailing down to her collar bone. That combined with Kal-El sucking on the other side and one of his hands on her breasts and the other between her legs sends her into sensory overload. It’s too much, it’s all too much and she goes boneless and and quivering between the bodies of the two men. Her knees buckle and she almost falls but Kal-El catches her, both arms moving to around her waist. He lifts her effortlessly and carries her over to the bed, sets her down and pecks her on the lips once before walking over to Lex. 

Kal-El kisses Lex and wraps his arms around him, then he looks at Lana. 

“He’s gorgeous, isn't he Lana?” Kal-El asks, luckily rhetorically as Lana’s hormone addled brain can barely even process the question. The alien looks back and forth between the two of them as though considering something. He begins to strip off Lex’s clothing slowly, as though giving Lana a show. Lana notes that there’s no hair anywhere on his body and doesn’t know why that makes her tingle between her legs. 

Once Lex is stripped, Kal-El kneels in front of him and takes his manhood into his mouth in one quick, fluid motion. As Kal-El enthusiastically sucks him, Lex moans and grips his hair. Lana is ashamed of herself for not being able to tear her eyes away. As soon as Lex becomes so overwhelmed that he begins to thrust, Kal-El pulls away and smiles up at him teasingly. He stands and kisses Lex. 

“Can you do that for her?” He asks, glancing over at Lana. 

Lex only nods and comes over to Lana. He kneels on the ground in front of her and looks up at her as though asking for permission. Eventually he reaches forward and places on hand on each knee, parting her legs. He leans in and kisses his way up her inner thigh and then licks her from the bottom of her slit to the top. Lana closes her eyes mostly because Kal-El watching intently and she hates feeling like she’s on display. 

Lex slowly parts her folds with his tongue and begins lapping at her clitoris, slowly and gently at first and then gaining in intensity. Lana’s never felt anything like it before and she moans and tangles her hands in the sheets. The sensation builds and builds and builds but before she’s pushed over the edge, Kal-El speaks. 

“That’s enough.” He says, breathless. Lex stops and stands up and Kel-El walks over and kisses him again, deep and hungry, licking Lana’s fluids off his lips. When he’s done he turns his attention to Lana. He moves her further up the bad and straddles her, kissing her hungrily. Sliding his hand down her body, he slowly slips a finger inside her as though testing how tight she is. It’s the first thing she’s ever had inside her and she shudders and clenches involuntarily around it. 

Through the haze of lust, a terrified voice in the back of her mind is screaming. She tries to silence it and force her mind to go blank again but she can’t until Kal-El starts pumping his fingers in and out of her. She’s grateful for the flood of sensation wiping out her consciousness and let’s it take her. When she starts to buck her hips he finally retracts his hand. He covers her mouth with his and slides inside her. 

Her whole world is eaten up by burning, stretching pain. She screams into his mouth and he pulls back, looks down at her with concern in his eyes. 

“That’s normal.” She hears Lex say and she’s not sure if he talking to her or Kal-El. “If you keep going it’ll get better.” 

Lex comes and sits on the bed beside them and starts running his fingers through Lana’s hair in a soothing motion. 

“You have to relax.” He says and now she knows he’s talking to her. He caresses her face, cool fingers on her heated skin. Kal-El has closed his eyes and is taking slow, deep breaths. They sit like that for what feels like a long time and eventually Lana feels herself adjust to accommodate the intrusion. 

“Ok?” Lex asks when he sees her relax slightly. 

“Yeah.” Is all she can muster. 

Kal-EL opens his eyes then and looks into hers and she can’t bare that so she turns her head to the side as he begins the thrust. It doesn’t feel good but the discomfort isn’t intolerable. Lex continues to comb his fingers through her hair and pet the side of her neck. Eventually the discomfort turns to pleasure and Lana begins to squirm and moan again. However, Kal-El climaxes before she can. 

He rolls off of her and lays there panting and, while she’s relieved that it over, her unsated body aches at the sudden emptiness. Lex gently turns her face toward him and looks into her eyes as questioningly. She nods and he kisses her on the forehead and then on the mouth. He continues to kiss her as he rubs her clitoris in a circular motion with his thumb. She’s so wet and open and responsive that she cums within minutes, screaming and digging her nails into Lex’s shoulders. As she comes down from her orgasm, she realizes that Lex is still hard. She’s never done this before but she feels obligated to reciprocate. She reaches down and gently brushes his manhood with her hand. 

“You don’t have to.” He says but his eyes say ‘please don’t stop.’ 

“She want’s to.” Kal-El says from beside her and takes her hand and closes it in a loose first around Lex’s length. He moves her hand for her for a few moments, setting a rhythm that she maintains even after he lets go and moves his hand down to play with Lex’s balls. 

“There you go.” Kal-El purrs in her ear. “That’s just how he likes it.” 

With their combined efforts and Lex’s painfully aroused state, Lex doesn’t last long before he spends himself in Lana’s hand. She can’t help but feel giddy at the thought of having had that effect on one of the most powerful men in the world (at least, he used to be.) With Kal-El’s head pillowed on her breast and Lex’s beside hers, Lana lets exhaustion claim her. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she feels sullied and used and disgusted with herself for enjoying it, but she can feel bad about that tomorrow.


	12. Brainiac

No one seems to fully understand how Brainiac works. He’s fine with this, since his calling is to understand, not to be understood. Jor-El may have made him but the way he programmed him was something akin to planting a seed. His internal processes started out very simple but there was one little line of code in there that commanded him to extrapolate, to take the basic principles he was given in the first place and apply them to new situations and expand on them and alter them when necessary all following logical algorithms. In short, he was programmed to learn and to apply what he’d learned to whatever problems his masters pointed him at. As a result, he was developing new abilities (both physically and mentally) all the time. 

Jor-El himself seemed to have not been able to predict exactly how his “experiment” would turn out once it was set into motion. The first time Brainiac had expressed an opinion Jor-El had been both delighted and a little afraid, a mix of emotions Brainiac eventually learned were most commonly exhibited in scientists. Even Brainiac’s assurance that what he had said was not a true opinion but rather a logical conclusion drawn based on observing the reactions of others, had done nothing to dampen his creators spirits. When Jor-El assured him that his expressing opinions wasn’t a bad thing and that it made him proud, Brainiac discerned that to have one’s creator take pride in one was a positive thing and expressed an appropriate reaction. Jor-El was delighted by this as well but then later disappointed when further examination revealed that Brainiac had not been exhibiting emotion but rather simulating the outward expression of an emotion appropriate to the situation. Brainiac did not understand why this displeased Jor-El but he resolved to remedy the problem as soon as he determined what exactly the problem was. 

During the early days Brainiac was not permitted to leave the House of El, not that he wanted to as at the time he had yet to develop the capacity to want. It was a simpler time. Jor-El’s first command to him was simply that he learn and so he constantly fed him information and the more he was fed the better he became at imbibing. He read books and scrolls until he got so good at it that he could read whole pages at a glance, consuming Jor-El’s entire library within weeks. Then he graduated to sucking the data out of electronic storage devices by extending the cloud of electricity that held his body together into them. Eventually he learned that living things also contained electricity and that by tapping into that with his own he could absorb information from bodies. 

It was from siphoning information out of small animals he caught in the garden that he learned what physical sensation was and how it is appropriate for things with nervous systems to react in different, specific ways to different sensations. This had the side effect of terminating the animals life functions (pain: the body’s reaction to physical damage and/or trauma, fear: a feeling of agitation and anxiety caused by the presence or imminence of danger) and Jor-El calmly requested that he not do it any more. Brainiac didn’t understand this, since his original programming contained only instructions to not do physical harm to Kryptonians and made no mention of beasts and Jor-El ate the flesh of beasts all the time, but he did as his creator said. He did ask Jor-El why he was distressed but Jor-El could give him no better answer than that it was not right to cause living things needless pain. Brainiac did not understand what was meant by ‘needless’ as as far as he understood pain was the bodies automatic reaction to trauma and so could not be needed or unneeded, only appropriate or inappropriate. The next day Jor-El brought him home some books on philosophy and ethics, Brainiac found them to be abstract, subjective and often self contradictory. 

Before too long, Jor-El began to have trouble keeping up with him. He brought home new books every day but Brainiac had become so efficient that they were never enough. Jor-El began to put him to work on household tasks and repairs, seeing how intuitive he was by simply telling him what to do but not how to do it and then watching him figure it out. Something strange began to happen to Brainiac then, he found himself moving when it was not necessary to move. Before then when a task was complete he would simply ‘idle’ (stand or sit perfectly still) until a new task was presented but now he found himself pacing and drumming his fingers and such when there was no work to do. 

Inside there was a...wrongness, an...offness. Brainiac Told Jor-El that he thought he may be malfunctioning but a full diagnostic revealed no problems. When asked how exactly he felt, Brainiac could only struggle inarticulately. He felt that there was something that should be happening and that it wasn’t happening and he was meant to remedy that but did not know how but in spite of that his programming kept telling him to remedy it. Jor-El, after looking at him pityingly for several moments, told him that what he was feeling sounded like either anxiety or frustration (anxiety: a state of uneasiness or apprehension/ frustration: the state of being frustrated/ frustrate: to make ineffectual or invalid.) 

Jor-El is sure that the solution is simply to find him more work and promises to do so. The next day he takes Brainiac out of the house for the first time, to the university where he’s employed and shows him the great library, Kryptons greatest repository of written tomes and documents. After hours of imbibing he still feels ‘anxious’ and eventually realizes that this is because he’s surrounded by information and can only absorb it one book at a time which is horribly inefficient. The solution is obvious though, he simply has to be in more than one place at a time. Since his body is technically neither solid nor finite, this is not an impossibility for him as it would be for biological creatures...he just needs to work out the logistics. 

He looks over where he would like to be and reaches out to the spot with his hand but does not move. Slowly, he focuses on specific nanites within his concentrated form, he consciously moves them down his arm and watches as his arm turns into as mass of metallic tendrils. He continues to move them and eventually they detach into a dark grey puddle on the floor. He can feel the coldness of the floor beneath it as though he were lying there. He strains himself upward and, while his original body doesn’t move at all, that puddle of his particles begins to bubble. 

It bubbles higher and higher like a fountain and to expand and shape itself until eventually there is a reflective, metallic him standing there. He focused a little harder and color blooms across it’s surface and slowly it becomes a mirror of him. He feels himself smile and it smiles back (accomplishment: the completion or fulfillment of a task.) At first he can’t get it to do anything but mirror his movements but slowly he spreads his focus and gets the hang of controlling both bodies. His other self can only go a certain distance away from him before it begins to destabilize but it still enables him to double his intake. 

The anxiety isn’t gone but it’s halved. Relieving some of that anxiety, the very first non physical sensation he’s ever felt, causes a quickening of something inside of him (relief: a feeling of reassurance and relaxation following release from anxiety or distress) and more of that sensation is the first thing he ever wants. When Jor-El returns to the library at the end of the day Brainiac, of course, immediately shows him the new ability he’s developed. Jor-El seems pleased but tentatively so, he tells Brainiac to sustain the replica for as long as he can but not to make any more just yet. The next few months are spent experimenting with the replicant, Jor-El gives them each separate but similar tasks to do and then gradually transitions to separate and completely different tasks, Jor-El has him move the replicant a little farther away from him every day to slowly stretch his energy field. Eventually the replicant becomes a fully functioning other him and he stays by Jor-El’s side the entire day (helping him with experiments) while it stays in the library and continues imbibing data. 

At first this brings a great deal of relief but as months go by Brainiac finds himself anxious again. He CAN NOT hold still and finds himself with the need to constantly talk. Jor-El tries to accommodate him by conversing with him constantly throughout the day but it’s not enough. Brainiac simply feels like he cannot do enough fast enough. One day he feels something, an odd stretching and splitting and then suddenly he’s seeing through three sets of eyes instead of two, the relief this brings is instantaneous. Of course he immediately tells Jor-El and apologizes for going against his command. They go immediately to the library where his replicant is and find another replicant sitting beside it, pouring over books. 

He makes them both stand as Jor-El enters the room. Jor-El walks over the the new replicant and touches the side of it’s face. 

“Can you feel that?” He asks in a pensive tone. 

“Yes.” Brainiac responds through the mouth of the replicant he’s touching. 

“And you say this happened spontaneously?” 

“Not entirely...it was like a build up and then a release of...pressure.” 

Jor-El nods sympathetically (sympathy: feelings of pity and sorrow for someone else’s misfortune/ pity: regret or disappointment/sorrow: a feeling of deep distress caused by loss.) 

“Do you know what pain is?” Jor-El asks. 

“The bodies reaction to physical damage and/or trauma.” 

“Very good.” Jor-El’s voice sounds wary. “Would you say you’ve been in pain at all since I’ve activated you?” 

“I cannot be damaged.” 

“That’s not what I mean...” Jor-El appears to be contemplating. “Have you felt that things were not as they should be?” 

“All the time.” 

Jor-El noticeably winces at this confession. Later that day, Jor-El takes him out to an open courtyard and tells him to replicate as many times as it takes for him to feel ‘that things are as they should be.’ He replicates and his replica replicates and they both continue doing so until the courtyard is filled with an army of Brainiacs all standing in a circular formation around Jor-El. Eventually. When there’s nearly no more room left, Brainiac finally feels...(peace: freedom from disturbance and quiet tranquility.) Jor-El looks overwhelmed for a moment, but only a moment before he collects himself and speaks. 

“Do you find it uncomfortable to be in one place?” 

“Very much so.” 

“How long have you felt this way?” 

“Approximately three months.” Brainiac says matter of factly. 

Jor-El is silent for a long moment and his expression is solem (guilty: culpable or responsible for a specific wrongdoing.) 

“Have I done something wrong sir?” 

“No,” Jor-El pats his arm in what he recognizes as a companionable gesture. “not at all. There’s clearly just an error in your programming...which could only be my fault. We'll get this squared away, I promise.” 

Brainiac identifies ‘I promise’ as a meaningful phrase and responds accordingly. 

“Thank you sir.” 

Later that day they’re back home and Brainiac is stepping into a large glass tube. He remembers it because it’s the first thing he ever saw. “Alright, now don’t be alarmed.” Jor-El says pointlessly, Brainiac does not have the ability to be alarmed (alarmed: frightened, disturbed or in danger.) “I’m only going to make a few adjustments that will...calm you and help you to focus.” 

Since Jor-El seems to be waiting for some sort of social cue from him so Brainiac nods. Jor-El throws a switch and Brainiac feels himself dissolve and expand as he’s returned to the shapeless insentient cloud that he began life as. There’s not thought or comprehension here, only the feeling of electromagnetic currents moving through him, pushing and pulling and restructuring. He feels new lights turning on, new seeds being planted. Eventually he feels himself recondensing, growing heavy and finite again, he feels he’s the same and yet somehow completely different. The restlessness is gone and in it’s place is a firm, unyielding sense of purpose (purpose: the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists.) 

He hadn’t even known he was lacking an anchor until he finally had one. Now he could see it so clearly, there was a grand scheme and he was part of it, he was content (content: in a state of peaceful happiness/ happy: feeling pleasure or contentment/?). There was no need for him to be in more than one place unless there was a NEED for him to be in more than one place, there was no need for him to move unless there was a NEED for him to move and there was no need for him to speak unless there was a NEED for him to speak and it was wonderful (wonderful: inspiring delight/delight: great pleasure.) The real difference, he realizes, is that he can feel...pleasure now, not just a sense that things are as they should be but a sense that it is ‘good’ (good: to be desired or approved of) for them to be that way and that that is a reason for joy (joy: great pleasure and happiness.) 

Eventually, Jor-El decides it’s time to test him out at the task for which he was designed. In most of Kryptons major population centers, being an educator was not profession in and of itself, instead each citizen was required by law to put in a certain number of hours a year teaching a class in whatever it was they did for a living. There were many complaints about this system, first and foremost that it resulted in a lack of stability and continuity for the students (from one week to the next they often had completely different teachers), second that it often required scientists to abandon important projects at crucial junctures, which also resulted in them being distracted and ineffectual as educators. Jor-El, being the proactive, socially conscious type, took it upon himself to solve this problem. He arranged a meeting with the Elders and pitched his idea for the Brain Interactive Construct, a universal educator that would be able to teach all subjects at all levels everywhere on the planet, and received a sizeable grant on the strength of his pitch. 

Jor-El took Brainiac to the Elders and a series of tests were administered to determine his competence. By the end of the week they went away with a note of certification specifying that Brainiac was fit to teach Kryptonian history at all levels and the assurance that they would consider expanding the certification as Brainiac gained proficiency in other areas. Brainiac began to follow his calling, to plant seeds in Kryptonian children the way Jor-El had planted seeds in him and this is the greatest joy of all. He’s instrumental in shaping the future of the empire and he does so by being the guardian of it’s past. He is the empire and the empire is him. (Elation: great happiness and exhilaration.) 

This goes on until he teaches every subject and is everywhere, touching billions of lives. He stays with Jor-El, of course, but he can send his replicants everywhere and the difference between himself and his replicants becomes less and less important over time. He is connected to all the hims and they’re connected to the collective mind of Krypton itself. Things are perfect...until they’re not. The tremors start. 

Krypton becomes plagued by quakes and eruptions and fissures opening in the planet's crust. Krypton’s top geologists can provide no information other than that the planet’s core is for some reason expelling mass amounts of energy. They don’t seem alarmed at first and say they’ll keep an eye on it. Time goes by and the situation deteriorates, the geologists begin to seem alarmed. There is much debate among the Elders about what should be done. Some say that since they don’t know for sure that the instability will get worse, it would be foolish to take “rash action”, other’s say that it is foolish to risk so many lives. Krypton’s leading geologist, who also happens to be a personal friend of Jor-El, tells Jor-El that the first group are wrong and that if they have their way all Krypton’s citizens will be doomed. 

Month’s later that same geologist dies when an entire city is swallowed up by the ground within a matter of minutes, the elders decide it’s time to start preparing for mass evacuation. The process will take years and now even Jor-El seems troubled. Brainiac finds himself anxious again and all he can do is feel anxious since Jor-El has not commanded that he do anything else. Mass deaths keep happening because citizens cannot be moved from unstable areas to stable areas fast enough and Brainiac feels like his limbs are being cut off (anguish: severe mental or physical pain or suffering.) When the scheduled evacuation is about six months away, Jor-El receives a surprise. Every year on Krypton which citizens would receive children was decided by random lottery, with only childless Kryptonians being eligible...and apparently Jor-El’s year had come. Since the trouble had started, many Kryptonian’s had exercised their right to decline stewardship but Jor-El did not exercise his. When asked why he would chose to become a father at such a turbulent time, Jor-El said only that he wanted to make it clear to the people that he genuinely believed Krypton had a future. When Jor-El got little Kal-El home for a moment he could only sit holding his child and weeping, until finally the child began to weep. Jor-El was eventually able to calm the child but still didn’t sleep that night, instead he stood over the child’s cradle murmuring prayers. 

As the day of departure draws near, there seems to be constant bickering over how the evacuation is being managed. By now there are daily quakes and many citizens are concerned that the entire population will not be evacuated in time despite the assurances of the Elders that it will be. Brainiac doesn’t understand this as a simple evaluation of the statistics shows that of course it will not. He had assumed that that was the reason they did not make enough ships to carry the entire population. No one else seems to notice this but Brainiac doesn’t say anything because they don’t ask. 

Jor-El is eventually informed that he is to lead one of the armadas and to be the primary conductors of the colonization efforts when it lands. This seems to be a popular decision among the general populace, Jor-El is well liked. This, apparently, will be something of a shared position as they are also sending General Zod (THE General Zod) to act as military advisor. This is also a popular decision. The Elders make equally popular decisions in deciding the leaders of all the other colonization parties. 

General Zod and Jor-El begin meeting frequently. Jor-El invites him to his home, shows him his son. The two had never met before and Jor-El seems to be trying to establish a rapport with the General but the General maintains his stiff but polite formality. General Zod seems fascinated by Brainiac, though he doesn’t seem to think that Brainiac is perceptive enough to realize it. He asks Jor-El near to constant questions about him. 

By the time it is time to depart, it has already been decided that Brainiac will be on every ship. Jor-El seems nervous about this, Brainiac has never spread himself that thin over that large of a distance, but Brainiac assures him that he can do it. Brainiac also agrees with General Zod: “why invent such a perfect communication device if not to use it in circumstances such as these?” There’s another argument they have to, one that Jor-El for some reason asks Brainiac to leave the room during. That argument is not resolved until fourteen years later when they finally find an inhabited planet, which they are the first to do. 

General Zod has had plenty of time to learn about Brainiac’s full range of abilities in that time and he’s convinced that if they send the Kryptoid down ahead of them to take out the inhabitant’s electrical and communications systems, taking the planet will be easy. The only problem with that plan is that when Jor-El reprogrammed him back on Krypton he put in a safeguard, a bit of code that renders Brainiac incapable of doing any damage. He’s reluctant to remove it and General Zod has no patience for his reluctance. The two of them openly shout at each other for the first time. After hours of this, Jor-El arguing ethics, General Zod talking about how much time could be saved and how many Kryptonian lives could be spared, Jor-El finally breaks and asks Brainiac what he wants. Despite having never been asked that question before, Brainiac responds instantly. 

“I want to serve Krypton however I can.” 

With noticeable duress creasing his brow, Jor-El puts Brainiac back into the programming chamber. Once again Brainiac experiences that complete weightlessness and when he comes back to himself he feels the same and yet somehow different. Something in him that he hadn’t even realized had been asleep is awake again, awake and ravenous.


	13. Lex

The next morning Lana is out of commission and Lex has the pleasure of explaining to Kal-El what a hangover is and that they are not fatal. Lana, who is very apologetic between bouts of dry heaving, is taken away to the room that has been designated hers to be nursed there by Brainiac for the remainder of the day. She doesn’t seem thrilled at the prospect of being alone with the android all day so Lex promises to visit her periodically. When he returns from getting her settled, he finds he and Kal-El’s room empty, the sheets on the bed already replaced. Following the sound of water, he goes into the bathroom and finds Kal-El filling the tub. 

The tub is an eight foot by eight foot stone pit with steps leading into it on all sides. Kal-El, already stripped of his robe, is sitting on the steps testing the water. When he hears Lex enter the room he looks up at him and smiles. Lex sheds his robe, conscious of Kal-El’s eyes on him, and steps into the water. Kal-El slides down onto a lower step so that the water is up to his chest and motions for Lex to sit in front of him. 

“How is she?” Kal-El asks as he begins to firmly massage Lex’s neck, working the tension out of the muscles. 

“She’ll be fine.” Lex assures, letting himself melt into Kal-El’s touch. “It’s basically just extreme dehydration, she’ll be over it by tomorrow morning if not before.” 

“I feel bad.” 

“Don’t, you couldn’t have known she’d never had a drink before.” 

“Hmmm.” Kal-El leans forward and wraps his arms around Lex’s neck. “I’m glad you and her are getting along so well but...you know, if you hadn’t I wouldn’t have been mad at you. I’d have just told Kara I didn’t want her.” 

Lex reaches back and entwined his hand in Kal-El’s hair to pull him down into a kiss, when their mouths separate he holds him there, looking firmly into his eyes. 

“What would have happened to her then?” He tries to keep his tone mild. 

“I don’t know.” Kal-El kisses Lex on the forehead. “Maybe Kara would have kept her or found someone else to give her to. She’d still have been better off than she was before.” 

“How do you know that?” Lex knows better than to openly argue with Kal-El but he can’t help the little bit of hostility that creeps into his voice. Kal-El goes back to massaging his neck, concentrating with his thumbs right at the base of his skull. Lex’s eyes involuntarily flutter shut and a sigh slips through his lips. 

“I’m proud of how quickly you gained her trust.” Kal-El gushes. “That’s important too since the fact that you have seniority over her means she’ll be your responsibility when I’m not around.” 

“I think I can manage that.” Lex struggles to stay focused, Kal-El has learned his body very well by now. “She’s a nice girl...did your cousin tell you where they got her?” 

“She said that Brainiac found her wandering the outskirts of a small town wearing filthy rags.” He punctuates the last two words by pressing just a little harder before moving down to Lex’s shoulders. “Now she gets to stay here with us and I’ll take as good of care of her as I do of you...unless you decide you don’t want her around.” 

“I do want her around.” Lex tilts his head back to look up at Kal-El. “I like her.” 

“Good.” Kal-El kisses him on the forehead. “I do to.” 

Kal-El slides out from behind Lex and walks to the other side of the tub to get a sponge and bar of soap out of the basket there. Lex let’s Kal-El wash him, knowing how much Kal-El likes to feel like he’s taking care of him. He’s slow and through, especially so when he reaches the area between Lex’s legs. Lex really had wanted to keep talking about Lana but finds himself distracted when Kal-El starts working the sponge in a swirling motion up and down the length of his cock. He pushes the issue to the back of his mind, he can always pick it back up again later. 

He wraps one hand around the back of Kal-El’s neck and pulls him into a kiss. He ravages Kal-El’s mouth until the boy drops the sponge in favor of wrapping both his arms tightly around Lex’s waist and pulling him closer until their wet, naked bodies are flush. Without breaking the kiss, Lex reaches between them and takes Kal-El’s cock in hand, running his thumb up and down the underside until Kal-El starts to buck into his hand. He backs Kal-El up until he hits the steps and is forced to sit down and then straddles his lap. He takes the boy’s hands, puts them on the rim of the tub and instructs him to keep them there and then continues to work the boy’s member but now with both hands. 

“Look at me.” Lex growls when Kal-El throws his head back. When Kal-El obeys, Lex rewards him with another kiss and then locks eyes with him. “You don’t cum until I say, understood?” 

Kal-El only nods breathlessly and kisses Lex again. Lex keeps it short before pulling back and running his tongue over Kal-El’s lips teasingly. After a few more firm pumps, he releases Kal-El’s member. He takes the boy’s right hand and brings it to his mouth, sucking on his fingers. Kal-El watches, engrossed. 

“I want this.” Lex whispers before licking the pad of Kal-El’s thumb.He reaches into the same basket from which Kal-El had gotten the ponge and takes out a small bottle of oil, uncorks it with his teeth and pours it over Kal-El’s fingers. He then guides the boy’s hand to his opening. Kal-El begins to gently stroke, giving Lex time to consciously relax those muscles before he inserts even one digit. 

Lex will never tell Kal-El this, but since their first night together the only way he can stand to be penetrated is when he’s on top and is given complete control of the encounter. He supposes that this works out fine for the both of them, since Kal-El loves to bottom. Eventually Kal-El slowly riggles a finger inside and Lex mewls through his teeth in a way that he’d be embarrassed by if all his nerve endings weren’t currently buzzing and humming with stimulation. Kal-El slowly wraps an arm around Lex’s waist, as though waiting to see if he’ll object, to keep him in place while he works him open. Lex tangles his hands in Kal-El’s hair and guides the boys mouth to his nipple, Kal-El obediently sucks. 

For a while there are only the sounds of panting and sucking and the sloshing of the water until Kal-El finds that spot inside Lex and he moans. He arches and shivers and almost...almost loses control but then catches himself. 

“St...stop.” He stammers and Kel-El immediately withdraws his fingers and looks into his face with concern. By way of reassurance, Lex kisses him, slow and soft and deep. 

He reaches down and takes ahold of Kal-El’s cock again and rises up just enough to brush it against his opening. Kal-El tries to bury his face in Lex’s neck but Lex stops him, takes ahold of his chin and makes him meet his eyes. 

“Beg.” He commands firmly despite his shortness of breath. 

“Please, please, please.” Kal-El chants as Lex slowly lowers himself. Kal-El’s cock is big and thick and heavy and hit’s all the right spots inside him. For a moment after it’s all the way in Lex has to wait and collect himself. When his lightheadedness finally clears, he starts to move. 

He undulates his hips and Kal-El grips the side of the tub again presumably because if he grabbed on to Lex he would hurt him. Lex continues to pump up and down, bracing himself on Kal-El’s shoulders, angling so that Kal-El’s member hits his prostate each time. Kal-El is barely coherent by now but it doesn’t matter because Lex quiets him with a kiss. Their mouths stay firmly locked until Lex cums, wrapping his arms around Kal-El’s neck again and biting hard on his lower lip. Lex slowly rises up off of Kal-El’s lap and takes the boy’s cock in his hand again and pumps once, twice... 

“Come for me pretty boy.” He whispers in Kal-El’s ear and Kal-El instantly spasms and spurts into his hand. Lex sits, semi-dazed, and watches as Kal-El bathes himself. He’ll never get use to how quickly Kal-El rebounds after sex. He needs it usually at least once in the morning and once at night but only seems lethargic afterward at night. Lex chalks it up to alien biology. 

When Kal-El is clean, he pulls the lever to drain the tub then walks up the steps out of it. He offers Lex his hand and easily pulls him to his feet. Lex’s legs are still a little weak and Kal-El laughs as he wraps an arm around him to steady him. As the boy towels him dry, he presses little kisses here and there on his naked body. When Kal-El begins to kneel in front of him, Lex stops him with a hand in his hair. 

“If you’re going to do that I don’t think I’m going to be able to be standing up for it.” 

Kal-El laughs again and stands back up. He leads Lex back into the bedroom with an arm around his waist and settles him onto his back on the bed. He cuts right to the chase and begins lapping at Lex’s still soft cock. 

“You really do enjoy this don’t you?” Lex asks breathlessly. Kal-El’s only response is a murmured ‘mmm-hmm’ against the hollow of Lex’s hip. Lex closes his eyes and savored the sensation of Kal-El’s wet tongue against his hairless pubic mound, tries not to feel self conscious about the boys fascination with it. He isn’t hard yet, doesn’t think he can get hard again this quickly, but as Kal-El tongues his balls ripples of pleasure travel up through his body. 

Kal-El closes his hand in a firm fist around Lex’s shaft and licks and kisses the head and it’s just too much, so much that Lex involuntarily tries to twist away but Kal-El stills him with a gentle hand on his hip bone. Lex moans as he’s engulfed in that hot, greedy mouth and the boy answers with his own moan as he continues to suck slow and luxurious, content as a nursing baby. Lex is seized by a curious combination of pleasure and panic as Kal-El swallows him down into his throat, trying to get as much into his mouth as possible. This tender, unhurried, delicious torture continues until Lex finally gets hard again. Kal-El picks up the pace, moaning more now then he had been when they’d actually been fucking and works his lips up and down the shaft faster and faster until Lex spills down his throat making him keen and swallow eagerly. 

They lay there in silence for a long time, Kal-El’s head on Lex’s shoulder and his free hand stroking up and down his chest. Lex hates himself for feeling so at peace during times like these. 

“I take it you have no plans today?” He asks more to break the afterglow than out of an actual desire to know. 

“Father cleared my schedule.” He takes one of Lex’s hands and raises it to his mouth to kiss it. “I was planning on giving Lana a tour of the stronghold but I supposed that’ll have to wait until tomorrow.” 

“I did promise I would visit her later.” 

“We can go together.” 

“Actually,” Lex tries to think of the most diplomatic way to put this, “I think she might be more comfortable if I went alone...I mean, she’s already embarrassed about this morning, so I don’t think she’d want you seeing her...in her current state...she probably just doesn’t mind me seeing her because my opinion is less important to her than yours.” 

Kal-El only smiles and kisses Lex on the cheek. They stay in bed together until it’s time for Lex to go to his lessons. They agree to meet on the sundeck after Lex has gone to visit Lana. ______________________ 

Brainiac insists on verifying with Kal-El that Lex has permission to meet with Lana in private before he’ll allow him to go to her room. When Lex requests that he leave them alone together he verifies again but ultimately acquiesces. Lana looks tired and frail curled up in the center of the room’s four poster bed but she manages a smile or Lex. 

“How you feeling?” He asks gently, he’s had more than enough hangovers himself to be instinctively sympathetic to anyone in that position. 

“I can finally at least keep water down.” 

“Well, you know what they say about alcohol?” He asks rhetorically. “It borrows happiness from tomorrow.” 

Lana laughs weakly and then her face becomes somber. 

“I just wanted to thank you for making things a little easier for me.” 

“I told you I’d help you.” He says matter of factly. “All things considered, I’m impressed by how well you handled the situation.” 

“By getting too drunk to be anxious?” Lana blushes, which strikes Lex as a little ridiculous considering the position they were in last night. 

“Believe it or not, I wasn’t half as...composed as you were and I wound up with a broken arm to show for it.” 

Lex doesn’t realize how horrible that sounds until he sees the shock on Lana’s face, he quickly back pedals. 

“It was an accident and he’s been very careful with me ever since.” 

Lana looks at him pityingly and seems to be about to say something but he beats her to it, he really doesn’t want the conversation to go there. 

“Rest up today because tomorrow you’ll be expected to hit the ground running.” 

“What else am I going to be expected to do?” 

“Well, you’re a human status symbol now, that comes with certain obligations.” Lex tries to keep the bitterness out of his voice but doesn’t quite succeed. 

“Like what?” 

“How good are you at foreign languages?” 

“I was getting a B in Spanish...” 

Lex cringes at the reminder of how young the girl is. There’s a silence then during which she regards him thoughtfully. 

“How long have you been here?” She finally asks. 

“Probably around...” He tries to count the days in his head but they all run together. “Four months.” 

“Do you miss your family?” 

“No.” He sees no reason not to be honest. “I miss my freedom more.” 

“My aunt probably thinks I’m dead.” Her gaze becomes distant and sad. 

“I promise you things will get easier.” Lex tentatively reaches up and brushes Lana’s hair away from her face. Unexpectedly she surges forward and hugs him. Not sure how much reciprocation would be appropriate, he simply places one hand on the small of her back. When she does let go she seems to realize that she had caught him off guard. 

“Sorry.” She glances down. Instead of telling her it’s alright, he kisses her lightly on the cheek and then rises to leave. 

“Lex.” She calls to him just as he reaches the door and he stops and waits. “Is there a reason that the Captain asked me about the meteor rock?” 

“I don’t know.” He lies, mostly because he’s certain that Brainiac is listening on the other side of the door and doesn’t want the android to know how much he knows. Lana doesn't seem satisfied with this but doesn’t press the issue. 

“Will you come see me again?” 

“Of course.” He smiles. “I’ll be back later this evening.” 

At that Lana nods and settles back down into her nest of blankets. Lex brushes past Brainiac, deliberately not looking up, as he leaves.


	14. E. Nygma

Edward Nygma is beginning to feel as though there has never been a time when he hasn't been dirty and hungry. He’s been hiding out in the basement of of the old Wacko Toys factory for a little over a year now (since the invaders started rounding people up.) At night he goes into the abandoned parts of the city, which by now is most of the city, and looks for supplies. The aliens seem to share mankind's fascination with pretty skyscrapers, they stay in the ‘good part of town’ only straying into the other parts to collect people and cart them off to who knows where. Complicated as his relationship with unanswered questions is, he knows for sure that he doesn’t want that one answered. 

He pauses in the middle of turning a screw because he’s sure he heard something...probably nothing...rats maybe. Either way, it never hurts to be sure. The aliens have destroyed nearly every form of communication with the exception of the very low tech and even that has to be used sparingly because one can never be sure they’re not somehow listening. 

“E.Nygma to...anyone.” He says tentatively into the ancient two way radio that’s been his only means of communication these long months. It occurs to him that it’s about midday and no one ever answers around midday, they all wait until the evening to talk if they talk at all. Just as he’s about to give up and go back to work there’s a crackling on the other end of the line. 

“Uh...Nancy Drew to Enigma...” A young, somewhat nasal female voice responds. “How can I help you?” 

“Well...uh...Nancy Drew.” The name was unfamiliar and clearly made up on the spot. “I’m actually looking Dog of War, do you have any idea when he’ll be on?” 

“He’s out doing some scouting right now but he’ll be back later this evening.” 

“I’d certainly appreciate it if you’d have him contact me, I’ll be in all night.” 

“Sure but...if you tell me what you need I might be able to help you...I’m his daughter.” 

He weighs his options, maybe he shouldn't believe her but she doesn’t sound confident enough to be lying and he supposes asking her his question won’t be exposing any vulnerable information. 

“I was just wondering if there had been any changes in their movements?” 

“Nope.” She sounds pleased that she actually could help him. “As far as we can tell they’re staying in the center of the city, they haven’t been anywhere near the outskirts for months. They seem to think they’ve gotten us all.” 

“Yes.” He finds himself smiling and then feels stupid and stops. “Thank you.” 

“Wait!” She barks before can hang up. “I just noticed there’s no pin for you.” 

“No pin?” 

“In the map...there’s no pin labeled Enigma.” 

“Ah, yes, your fathers map.” Edward rolls his eyes. “As I’ve already informed him, I have no interest in being on it.” 

“You sure?” She asks gently. “If we knew where you were, it’d been easier for us to help you.” 

“Yes and it would also be easier for them to find me since all they’d have to do is find you.” 

“Ok.” She’s a little agitated now. “If you don’t mind my asking, what are you working on?” 

“I do mind.” He lets his retort sit there until he can practically feel her getting uncomfortable. 

“Fine, just let us know if you need anything else.” 

“Will do.” 

The silence seems a little heavier than before when he hangs up, it’s been a long time since he’s had a conversation with anyone (let alone a female someone) and he feels a little bad for being so short with her when she was nothing but kind and accommodating. He supposes it’s for the best though, no point in getting distracted when he’s trying to...’save the world’ sounds a bit grandiose but it’s the only way he can think to put it. It also feels unnatural, saving the world isn’t his thing. Unfortunately it’s not really possible to do his ‘thing’ with an alien invasion in progress so he has to take care of that before things can go back to normal. 

He’s a high tech boy in a low tech world so it took him an embarrassingly long time to find a weak spot but find one he did. The aliens have this frankly remarkable device that’s like a computer virus in humanoid form that can hack anything. From observing it as much as he can, he’s learned that it’s a cluster of nano bots held together by an electromagnetic field that it manipulates from a central hub. He’s fairly certain (and his ‘fairly certain’ is far better than most other people’s ‘completely certain’) that if he can just get close to that central hub and scramble it’s electromagnetic field, he can at least debilitate the thing if not completely destroy it. The hard part will be actually finding the central hub since, as far as he can tell, there are hundreds of them in the city (none of the appearing to be particularly ‘central’) and he doubts that they’re only in Gotham. So he supposes that once he finishes the electromagnetic field scrambler he’ll be going on a little road trip to...who knows where. 

Road trips aren’t really his thing either. This alien invasion is really taking him out of his element, not that he’s ever really had an element. His work grinds to a halt as he realizes he needs more copper wire...damn. It’ll be hours until the sun goes down and he can go in the city to get some and he has nothing to do until then be waste time. He hates to waste time. 

He opens one of the drawers on the steel table he’s been working on and takes out a granola bar. He found a completely untouched gas station tucked away one dead end in a seedy neighborhood a week ago and took the liberty of divesting it of all it’s nonperishable food stuffs. It takes him back to his childhood, when he’d had to live off of whatever he could easily shoplift from the few places within walking distance of their house. Growing up poor has endowed him with the cockroach like ability to live off of meager amounts of garbage for long stretches of time. He settles onto the pile of tarps he’s been using as a bed so he can think while he eats. 

There’s got to be some way he can trace the thing’s electromagnetic field back to it’s central hub. Even if he was lucky enough to find an EMF detector, it would be an imprecise guide at best. Lots of things give off EMF. The field scrambler is light enough that even he’ll be able to carry it but they’ll be no point in even setting out if he doesn’t know where he’s going. He’s also got to work out a travel pattern that won’t take him too close to major population centers unless it’s absolutely necessary. If one of those things finds him he won’t be able to run and he certainly won’t be able to fight...it’ll be over. 

The migraine he has right now had been present with varying levels of severity for about eight days now. The Tylenol that was in the gas station does nothing but that’s not a surprise. He supposes he’ll try to find an EMF detector any way, it can’t hurt to play around with it and see if there’s anything unique about the things electromagnetic signature. He just has to try and find an electronics shop and hope that no one bothered with the EMF detectors during the looting. There’s one two miles from here and he’s not looking forward to walking that far in the dark with his migraine sapping his energy and so little food in his system but he supposes it can’t be helped. 

He curls up into a tight ball against the cold, damp air of his underground dwelling and drifts into a light, uneasy sleep. While he sleeps he dreams about the humanoid virus. He saw it turn itself into a metallic grey puddle once so that it could slide under a door. In his dream it comes upon him when he’s out scavenging and when he runs it doesn’t even bother to chase him. It’s body turns into a mass of grey tentacles and they wrap around him, choking him, worming into his mouth and nose and tear ducts until it’s disappeared completely into his body. He awakes with a start, clawing at his own face. By now the room is pitch black. 

\----------------------------------------- 

The beam of his solar powered flashlight is dim but that’s probably a good thing because it makes it harder to spot him from a distance. He moves as swiftly as he can, occasionally having to stop and tuck himself into a shadowed corner to let suspicious looking vagrants pass. Deceptively, night in Gotham looks less grim now than it did before. Now there are visible stars and the streets are still and quiet. The trouble with that is that now any noise or movement is cause for alarm. 

Edward feels dizzy and weightless and isn’t sure which factor to attribute those feelings to. He only hopes that he doesn’t pass out. When he reaches the dark, silent electronics shop, he finds the door still locked and has to climb in through the broken front window. Once inside he holds perfectly still for a long, breathless moment and just listens. Once he’s sure all is quiet inside, he begins to slowly and methodically sift through the debris on the floor. 

Everything he finds that still looks useable goes into his backpack. Things go well until he hears what sounds like a group of people approaching outside. He darts for the first door he sees and is disappointed to find that it leads into a walk-in utility closet. Stupid, stupid, stupid, should have made note of all the possible exits as soon as he entered. Not knowing what else to do, he closes the door, turns off his light and crouches in one of the corners opposite the door. 

His foot brushes something and he reaches down to find a metal spray can of something. He shakes it up, trying to do so as soundlessly as possible, and slinks along the wall until he’s standing beside the door. He listens, by the sound of the footsteps it’s a single person, possibly a child. The footsteps begin at the front of the store and move up and down the aisles, slowing when they reach the door to the utility closet. Edward holds his breath and holds the spray can at the ready until he hears the footsteps pass. 

When he hears the person on start to rummage through things on the side of the room to the left of the door, he considers making a run for it. He cracks the door open just enough to peak out and sees a small man (only about four foot five) going through what little is left on one of the lower shelves. He slips out of the closet and closes the door soundlessly behind him, keeping the spray can clutched firmly in his hand. He hit’s a loose floorboard and there’s a loud creak. Luckily, he’s able to duck behind a shelf before the small man turns around. 

Edward doesn’t think he’s ever seen a person for whom the term ‘rat-like’ is a more accurate descriptor. Under his medium length, sandy blonde hair the man has heavy, dark eyebrows over small eyes and a long, straight nose that dominates his face and near to comically oversized bucked teeth. Those small eyes dark suspiciously around the room before the man returns to his search. As he rummages he begins muttering to himself under his breath. 

“All in the golden afternoon full leisurely we glide, for our four oars with little skill, by Liddell hands are plied...” 

Before he can hear any more of the poem, Edward bolts for the door and before he knows it he’s halfway down the block, running. He guesses he’ll be eighty sixing the EMF detector for now, which is fine, it probably wouldn’t have wound up being useful any way. When he’s safely back to the toy factory he tries to think who that little man might have been, he certainly doesn’t recognize that reedy British accent from the two way radio and he certainly would remember having seen him before. He tries to tell himself it isn’t important, on some level even convinces himself that he actually believes that. In the back of his mind he keeps wondering but that’s ok, there is infinite space in the back of his mind. 

With all his materials finally together he settles into a twenty four hour marathon of continuous work. He doesn’t eat and doesn’t sleep and doesn’t feel he needs to until the EMF scrambler is finally finished...then he’s suddenly exhausted. After making sure the padlock he’s installed on the inside of the rooms only door is locked, he collapses onto his pile of tarps and falls asleep faster than he has in months. When he wakes he’s starving and he can hear thunder outside. He goes over to the drawer and gets another granola bar. 

As he eats he just stares at the EMF scrambler. Suddenly he feels insane for even having it. What if they catch him before he can use it, what’ll they do to him? Kill him probably...instantly and without even thinking about it, like swatting a fly. Somehow he always thought he’d die that way, someone bigger and stronger would eventually come along and ‘swat’ him and it wouldn’t even matter. Considering that he spent his childhood being swatted around by his father, dying in an act of casual violence inflicted on him by someone who didn’t see him as any sort of a threat would certainly lend a sense of symmetry to his life. 

Normally these sorts of thoughts make him incredibly anxious but right now he’s far too drained in every respect to really feel anything. Anyway, he may not be the type prone to heroism but he’s not the type who wants to live in a dank basement below an abandoned building for the rest of his life either, so he has no other choice. He doesn’t even know what he’s going to do after he’s used the EMF scrambler, the potential outcome is too unpredictable. All he can do is put things into motion and then play by ear from there. Honestly, he’s hoping that once he gets rid the humanoid virus (which seems to be a vital tool for the aliens) someone else will take care of the rest. There have to be some sort of organized defenses still in place somewhere...he hopes. 

He goes up to the ground floor of the building to watch the storm through the massive windows that make up its south wall. Every time the lightning flashes he can see the ragged outlines of the many abandoned buildings on the outskirts of Gotham. It’s ironic that only the worst parts of the city look the same as they did before the invasion. Suddenly something in the center of a nearby intersection catches his eyes but then he’s blinded by another flash. When the light fades the thing in the center of the intersection has moved closer, now it’s clearly recognizable as a human figure. 

His impulse is to run back into the basement but somehow he knows he shouldn’t. There’s another flash and it’s even closer, having moved more than would be possible for a human being in that time. Reminding himself that there would be no point in running, he braces himself and waits. Another flash and it’s right outside the window, looking back at him. It’s a man, intimidatingly tall like they all are, wearing the armor he’s seen on all the other aliens. It raises it’s hand and places it’s against the glass, shattering the entire pane with a barely perceptible push. 

“Greetings Earthling.” It says with a deceptively human-like voice. Not knowing what the expected response is to that, Edward simply stands, frozen, heart hammering in his ears. The alien doesn’t seem too concerned with getting a response to it’s greeting. It scans the room with it’s eyes. 

“Are you alone?” It asks. 

“Yes.” Edward quickly blurts out. “I came in here looking for batteries.” 

“We were under the impression we’d cleared the area.” 

“Really?” Edward says with mock surprise. “And here I was wondering where everyone had gone.” 

He shrugs and forces a laugh that comes out more hysterical than nervous. The alien studied him carefully as though he can tell if he’s lying just by looking at him. It walks up to him, much too close, and looks him up and down with a sneer of disgust. 

“We received reports that there was movement in this area, would you know anything about that?” It raises an eyebrow. 

“Sorry, can’t help you.” 

“Where do you live?” 

“Nowhere in particular.” He realizes that with his tattered clothes and nearly skeletal frame that’s probably believable. 

“If there are others,” The alien says in a slow and patient tone that makes Edward have to grit his teeth, “and you tell me where they are, you will be given preferential treatment after you are transferred to the compound.” 

“Gee, now I REALLY wish I’d seen another person some time within the past year.” Edward only kind of lies, using all his self control to keep from glancing in the direction of the basement door. The alien sighs and rolls it’s eyes. 

“You’re to come with me.” It says firmly. “Resist and I am authorized to use deadly force, understood?” 

Edward nods eagerly, at least he won’t be dying tonight. As he’s dragged from the building with a wholly unnecessary amount of force and loaded into a transport vehicle with a collection of other filthy vagrants and watches man kinds chance at salvation slowly recede over the horizon, he begins to think that maybe keeping his location a secret wasn't such a good idea after all. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm as surprised as you are.


	15. Kal-El

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took me so long to write this one, had a bit of writers block but it's cleared now.
> 
> p.s. 
> 
> I feel the need to mention that in my head canon Edward Nygma looks like [this](http://40.media.tumblr.com/bf13d135245162a543be94c366b0f717/tumblr_nej002kChM1u0cmyko8_500.png)  
> Because Greg Capullo Riddler is ADORABLE!

It’s started to snow, Kal-El has never seen snow before. He marvels at how the landscape is transformed when covered in frail little crystals and could stay out in it for hours. The only downside is that Lex can’t always be out in it with him, Earthlings are very susceptible to cold. Lex and Lana are both surprised by just how much snow there is and Brainiac confirms that this is an unusual amount of precipitation for this time of year. 

Lana was something of a cause for concern at first but by now she’s settled into he and Lex’s shared life quite comfortably. Kal-El has grown fond of her, it didn’t hit him like a lightning bolt the way it did when he first met Lex, but rather developed over time. That she is aesthetically pleasing is undeniable but he’s also found her to be very sweet and kind and more intelligent than he had at first assumed. Having another Earthling around also does wonders to calm Lex’s nerves. Kal-El feels terribly guilty for not having even considered that being completely cut off from his own kind would cause Lex duress so he’s pleased that the matter seems resolved now. Intimacy with Lana is different than it is with Lex. Lex may be smaller than Kal-El (because most Earthlings are) but he’s at least large enough to feel substantial in Kal-El’s arms. Lana seems to melt into him when he embraces her. She’s also not as inclined to take charge in the bedroom as Lex. It’s not necessarily better or worse, just different. In a way her presence compliments Lex, they mesh and contrast in just the right ways. 

Kal-El also makes no qualms about Lex being the one he’s in love with and Lana doesn’t seem to mind. That’s very important, he couldn’t have possibly kept her around if she had had ambitions of coming between them. She’s surprisingly mature about the whole thing and is content not to be his top priority as long as she isn’t neglected. She also seems to understand that her purpose is more to keep Lex company when Kal-El is not around. On average she spends about three night a week with Kal-El and Lex in their room (because that’s as often as Ka-El requests her) and the rest of the time in her own room and this seems to suit her just fine. 

Kal-El has been sitting in a meditative state, watching the snowfall, on the railing of the balcony for an indeterminate amount of time now but judging by the amount of snow that’s collected on him it’s been a while. He rises, brushes off the flakes and heads back through the double doors. Entering the sitting area outside he and Lex’s room, he finds Lex and Lana at the billiard table that he’s recently had brought in at Lex’s request. Lex is explaining the game to Lana and Kal-El walks up behind him and slips his hands under the back of his shirt, making him hiss and jump and then kisses the back of his neck. Lex turns and kisses him on the mouth. 

“It really doesn’t bother you to be this cold?” Lex asks, taking on of his hands between his two and breathing hot air on it. It feels good. 

“No,” Kal-El smiles, “but I wouldn’t be opposed to you helping me warm up.” 

“After the game.” Lex says firmly before kissing him on the cheek and turning back to the table. 

“Would you like to play?” Lana asks, ever the considerate one. 

“I can just watch.” Kal-El rounds the table and kisses her lightly on the lips before settling into a near by chair. He’s developed a mild interest in Earth culture if for no other reason than that it’s a part of Lex. Lex has already taught him chess and fencing and he’s found them to be surprisingly engaging diversions. Despite their being a primitive culture, the human race seems to be endlessly innovative in it’s search for novelties and amusements. 

He takes pleasure in watching them play, Lex approaches the game with the same calm, steady focused intensity with which he approaches anything requiring strategy. This being her first time playing the game, Lana delights in every time she manages to do something right and seems a little amused by how much care Lex puts in to lining up every shot. Kal-El thinks that it’s a very elegant game, particularly how Lex’s fingers manipulate the ‘cue.’ As they play they talk, Lex has no trouble conversing casually in front of Kal-El but Lana keeps glancing anxiously over at him. Kal-El isn’t bothered by the fact that she’s not entirely comfortable around him yet, he has plenty of time to remedy that. 

When they finish, Lex seems to have won, though Kal-El could not say for sure exactly how this feat was accomplished. He supposes he’ll have to play to find out exactly how the game works. Kal-El likes the way Lex looks when he’s pleased with himself. They’re not in Kansas anymore. A week ago his father, with the help of General Zod, decided that it would be best to relocate. Jor-El did not tell Kal-El why but Kal-El trusts that if he needed to know his father would tell him. 

They are now in a place called Gotham in the highest room of the tallest of it’s many very tall structures (Lex tells him they’re called ‘skyscrapers’ and he thinks that’s a wonderfully poetic name.) Kal-El thinks it somehow feels both more open and more claustrophobic than the rural area they were in before. It’s a cluster of stone giants, cold and still and silent now that it’s inhabitants have been relocated. Something about it makes Kal-El sad but he doesn’t bother mentioning that to anyone, if they have to be here, they have to be here. Lex tells him that when he was here a few years ago the view from the top of this building looked like the ground was covered in stars. 

“I was wondering...” Lana begins hesitantly. “...if maybe we could go look around the city some time soon.” 

“Why?” Kal-El cocks his head. 

“I don’t know...I’ve just heard my whole life about how Gotham is known for it’s architecture.” 

“I’m sure that’s what the Gotham tourist board would have had you believe.” Lex laughs but elaborates when both Lana and Kal-El look confused. “Gotham has...had a terrible crime problem.” 

“Well, it’s nice to know we’ve helped them.” For some reason that causes Lex to tense so Kal-El presses on, not wanting to give whatever slight he’s inadvertently committed time to sink in. “I’ll ask father if it’s alright for us to venture out during the day tomorrow, as long as it’s not too cold for you two.” 

“Thank you.” Lana smiles and walks over and hesitantly kisses him on the cheek. Wanting to encourage this sort of casual affection, Kal-El rewards her with an answering kiss on the lips, light and tender. He’s learned not to be as forward with her as he is with Lex, she’s more innocent and shy. Not that there’s any reason for anyone so beautiful to be shy but Lex tells him Earthlings are sometimes irrational that way. Kal-El finds it endearing. Before she can back away, he puts an arm around her waist. 

“Would it be alright if Lana joined us tonight?” Lex never says no when he asks this but he asks just the same out of courtesy. 

“If that’s what you want.” Lex never says no but he doesn’t exactly say yes ether. “But I have something special planned and I’m not sure she’ll be comfortable being in the room for it.” 

Kal-El notices that Lex is making eye contact with Lana when he says this. They communicate nonverbally like this all the time, Kal-El doesn’t mind it but he worries that they think he does. 

“I’ll be fine.” She says with unusual confidence and wraps an arm around Kal-El’s neck. ___________________________ 

Later that night, the three of them are in he and Lex’s room and things are are a considerable ways along already. Kal-El is laying on his side with Lana in front of him, kissing him and fondling him with her little hands, and Lex is spooned up behind him, kissing his neck and fingering his opening. He’s awash in warmth and pleasure and entering into that state of mind where part of him can’t wait for things to escalate and another part of him wants to stay just this way forever. Lex adds a third finger and he feels himself stretch just a little wider and his heart rate escalates further in anticipation of Lex entering him soon. Lana runs her nails lightly along the underside of his member and he audibly moans for the first time and feels her smile against his lips. He likes that, he likes that this makes her happy to. 

He has one arm around Lana and until now has been using the other hand the message her breasts but now he uses it to reach back and pull Lex into a kiss as he turns his head. Lana redirects her attention to his neck as soon as their mouths part, she’s gotten so much better at keeping pace. Kal-El pants into Lex’s mouth, welcomes Lex’s tongue enthusiastically when it enters his own mouth. He tasted like brown liquor, which by now is a taste Kal-El enjoys because he associates it with Lex. Lex kisses him deeply and thoroughly, as though trying to ring all the breath from his body and then pulls back. 

“I need you to get on your hands and knees for me.” Lex has a way of saying things that makes them sound like neither requests nor commands. They disentangle from each other, Lana sits cross legged at the head of the bed, Kal-El rises onto his hands and knees. Lex goes to the drawer in the bedside table and takes out the bottle of lubricant. 

“I’m going to try something a little different.” Lex says, looking at Kal-El from the floor next to the bad where he’s still kneeling. “It might feel a little strange at first but if you relax I promise you’ll enjoy it...you trust me, right?” 

“Of course.” Kal-El says without hesitation. Lex smiles back at him and then rises to go kneel behind him. He hears the sounds of the clicking sound of the bottle open and the wet sounds of Lex lubricating his fingers. Kal-El feels the same two fingers from before slide into him and the warmth of Lex’s left hand on the small of his back. Lana leans in and starts kissing him again and he sighs contentedly into her mouth. 

When Lex adds a third finger he consciously relaxes and shivers at the feeling of being stretched a little further. Lana draws his tongue into her mouth and sucks on it, reaches up and cards her fingers through his hair. He loves the feel of her nails against his scalp. He feels himself stretch further as Lex adds his thumb and pinky finger. Lex slowly twists his fingers inside Kal-El, making his whole body involuntarily convulse. 

“You ok?” Lana whispers against his lips, looking into his eyes. His only response is to start kissing her again with increased enthusiasm, she giggles and reciprocates. Lex is running his left hand up and down Kal-El’s lower back to help him stay relaxed and he slowly works his right hand further into his tight opening. Kal-El has never been stretched open this far before but it doesn’t hurt, it just burns and makes him feel vulnerable and exposed and that only makes him more aroused. 

He hopes that neither of them is going to touch his member because he’s so hard that one stroke is all it would take to make him cum and Lex hasn’t told him he can yet. A little push and Lex is into him up to the wrist, he feels strangely light headed at the realization of how much he’s taken in. For a moment everything goes still and quiet and he realizes that he’s drenched with sweat and panting. 

“You alright?” Lex reaches up and runs a hand through his hair. He just nods, finding himself unable to speak. 

“Good boy.” Lex purrs and caresses his lower back in a swirling motion. He feels Lex’s hand move inside him, curling into a fist. Lex’s first begins to pump slowly back and forth inside him in shallow but keenly felt thrusts. A completely involuntary guttural moan, like no sound he’s ever made before, comes from deep in Kal-El’s chest. Lana continues to pet his hair and pepper his face and neck with kisses. 

“Feels nice doesn’t it?” Lex asks and Kal-El attempts to answer but all he can manage is a stuttering gasp. Eventually he just buries his face in Lana’s neck, biting gently to ground himself. He starts to whimper and Lana begins to gently massage the back of his neck. She must have a concerned look on her face because Kal-El faintly (through the sound of his own heartbeat thudding in his ears) hears Lex assure her that he couldn’t possibly hurt him. 

It’s agonizing and pleasurable at the same time and when Lex retracts his hand, Kal-El feels more empty than he ever has in his life. Without even realizing it, he starts to sob, he hates that he does this sometimes. He lowers into a kneeling position and wraps his arms around Lana. They kneel there holding each other while Lex goes into the bathroom to wash his hands. When he returns he kneels behind Kal-El, puts his hands on his shoulders and buries his face in his hair. 

“You were SO good, Kal-El.” He rests his head on Kal-El’s shoulder and look at Lana. “Wasn’t he Lana?” 

Lana just smiles and leans forward and kisses him. He lets Lex maneuver him onto his back and Lana climbs on top of him and slowly lowers herself onto his still erect member. She waits a moment to let herself adjust and the leans forward, bracing herself with a hand on either side of his head. Lex comes up behind her, putting a knee on either side of Kal-El’s legs and slowly slides into her. The addition of Lex’s member along side his increases the pressure so much that Kal-El has to close his eyes and bit his lip to keep from cumming. 

Lex and Lana begin to move and the friction and the pressure and the heat and their combined moaning and panting is almost too much for Kal-El. He mouths “please” over and over again until Lex finally rasps out “cum” between gasping breaths. Kal-El does and the pleasure that rolls through him is terrifying, black spots dance across his field of vision. Lana moans at the feeling of his seed shooting into her and digs her nails hard into his shoulders. Lex keeps thrusting until Lana climaxes with a scream and then finishes himself. After they’ve all wiped the various fluids off of their bodies, they settle down to sleep. Kal-El cuddles up to Lex’s side as usual and Lana spoons Kal-El from behind. \------------------------------------ 

The next morning Kal-El is awoken very early by the yellow sun shining through the floor length windows that make up the east wall of their room. His two Earthlings are still asleep and he decides to let them stay that way so he gets up and closes the curtains. Earthlings who live in big cities seem to like smooth, white surfaces, that’s the only reason he can think of that the “penthouse” (as Lex calls it) would contain so many of them. According to Brainiac, it’s what’s known as “modern, minimalist decor.” Kal-El doesn’t care for it, he much preferred the inside of Lex’s fathers house, with it’s dark, rich colors and liberal amounts of texture and adornments. Older Earthling dwellings incorporate wood the way Kryptonian ones incorporate stone. He supposes that, since Lex will inherit all his father’s property, they could very well wind up living in that lovely house some day. 

He goes to the bathroom, which is as sterile and featureless as the rest of the place, and washes himself in the glass shower stall. Once clean, he dresses and leaves the room as quietly as he can. He makes his way onto the roof, where there is a small ornamental garden, so that he can sit in the rays of the Yellow Son. It doesn’t seem that there’s been anyone up there in some time, as is evidenced by the thin, unbroken crust of ice over the top of the snow. He sits a while in silence, watching the gorgeous display of the sunrise, until he’s approached by Kara Zor-El. 

“I see we had the same idea.” She smiles brightly and he smiles back. Formal greetings are not necessary between them. 

“What do you think of it?” He asks, nodding down at the city. 

“It looks like it was very beautiful...once.” She says a little sadly and Kal-El nods in concession. He can see why Lana had heard this place was known for it’s architecture, looking around, one can tell that once some very ambitious builders lived here but it seems that was a very long time ago. Most of the grand buildings look as though their repair had been neglected long before his people ceased the city. That seemed to be the Earthling’s tragedy, they always spoiled their own good things. Luckily his father has said that they will be able to salvage most of the structures and refurbish them for their own purposes. 

“I’ve been meaning to ask you, how have things been working out with Lana?” Kara says hesitantly. “You don’t have to lie to spare my feelings.” 

“She’s wonderful.” Kal-El smiles. “I had my doubts at the beginning but her and Lex get along far better than I ever could have hoped and I’ve found her to be a delight.” 

“Good.” Kara seems genuinely relieved. “I didn’t know what your tasted were so I just tried to find someone generically lovely. I’m glad my efforts paid off.” 

A few minutes pass in silence as they both watch the sunrise with wrapped attention. 

“Are you alright with being here?” Kal-El asks quietly. 

“Why wouldn’t I be?” 

“I just know that you wanted to stay at the stronghold and help General Zod.” 

“If he thinks I should be here, then here is where I should be.” She says resolutely. “But I can’t imagine why he’d think your father would need protection in this place, there aren’t any Kryptonite deposits for hundreds of miles.” 

“Do you think he’s giving you less than you can handle because you’re related to father?” Kal-El asks hesitantly. 

“What a question!” Kara says with a strained smile, as she usually does when she thinks Kal-El is prying where he has no right to do so. 

“I’m sorry.” Kal-El bows his head slightly. “He just doesn’t seem too happy with having to follow father and sometimes I think he projects that onto you.” 

“General Zod is unquestioningly loyal to your father.” Kara says firmly, the corner of her mouth twitching downward in irritation. 

“I know...” Kal-El says quickly. “It’s just that...sometimes I think he wishes he didn’t have to be...and that worries me.” 

“There’s no need to worry. Even if he doesn’t want to follow uncle Jor-El, he was commanded to by the elders and he’s loyal to them above all else.” 

“But...they’re billions of miles away...” 

“It doesn’t matter where they are!” She shoots him a glare that suggests he should let the issue drop and so he does. 

“How are things with your new acquisition?” He changes the subject. 

“He’s obedient and eager to please.” She smiles wistfully. “I don’t know what more I could want.” 

“Good, when you said he was inexperienced, I worried you’d regret your decision.” 

“No, not at all, I like that. I get to mold him into the shape that best suits me.” 

“Do you think he and Lex would get along? You said he was clever and Lex is clever.” 

“He did know who Lex Luthor was when he heard his name and he seemed impressed to learn that we had him.” She giggles under her breath. “I didn’t know your Earthling was a celebrity.” 

Kal-El laughs. 

“Well, Lana has expressed an interest in having a look around the city, so I planned on trying to arrange that today. Maybe you and your concubine could come along?” 

“I don’t know, he’s lived in this city his entire life, there might not be much to show him that he hasn’t already seen...he has seemed restless lately though.” 

“Then it’s a plan.” Kal-El smiles. “I’m hoping father will let us go out this evening but I’ll let you know when I know for sure.” 

“Of course.” She answers his smile with her own. “I should probably be getting back.” 

“Of course.” 

The two of them embrace before she leaves the roof, leaving Kal-El alone to ponder the beautifully broken skyline of Gotham city.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry, General Zod is not out of the story.


	16. Lana

Lana wakes up slightly sore, like she usually is the day after they do the sort of thing they did last night. She’s gotten used to doing it but thinking about it still makes her blush. Lex’s arm is draped over her and she carefully slides out from under it, not wanting to wake him, so she can get up and go to the bathroom. The curtains are drawn so the room is filled with a dim, blue light that’s enough to enable her to cross it without running into anything. She locks the door once she’s in the bathroom, even though they've both seen her naked she still doesn’t want them walking in on her unexpectedly. 

The hot water in the shower relaxes the muscles in her shoulders and back and for a few minutes she just stands under it, letting it wash away the various fluids on her body. She scrubs herself thoroughly and washes her hair and shaves her legs. Since they arrived in Gotham, she’s been sharing a room with Kal-El and Lex but she’s sure that eventually Kal-El will want to go back to being alone with Lex and she’ll be getting her own. She doesn’t mind it for now, to be honest, she’d been getting kind of lonely with only Brainiac for company for days at a time. Lex does his best to make her happy but he can’t pay more attention to her than he does to Kal-El, she understands that. 

When she gets out of the shower she puts on a robe and goes back into the bedroom to find Lex awake. He’s out on a pair of silk pyjama pants and is sitting cross legged on the bed reading a book. When he hears her enter he briefly glances up and nods in acknowledgement. She goes over to the wardrobe and begins to dress, looking over her shoulder first to make sure Lex isn’t watching her, he knows the drill by now and continues to avert his gaze. 

“When did Kal-El get up?” She asks when she’s finally fully clothed. 

“I’m not sure.” 

Lana only nods in response and then walks over to open the curtains. Looking out over the city she feels a the same sense of awe she did the first time she saw it. She’d been to metropolis before but Gotham is completely different. The older buildings are a cross between architecture and sculpture and still beautiful despite how neglected they look. Gotham is the sort of place she’d always dreamed of going and adults had always cautioned her against going, being here now is painfully bittersweet considering the circumstances. 

“Is it how you remember it?” She asks Lex without turning around. 

“Minus the people.” He says without glancing up from his book. 

“Right.” Lana feels a little pain in her chest when she remembers that cities are supposed to be crowded. There are still people in some of the houses, Gotham’s elite, but they’re not allowed to go anywhere unless accompanied by Kryptonian guards. “Didn’t you meet Bruce Wayne once?” 

“A few times...why?” 

“No reason, just wondering how you think he’s handling all this...I mean, if you think he’s cooperating.” 

“Let’s just say...” Lex closes his book and walks over to join Lana. “Bruce never really struck me as the fighting type.” 

“Hmm.” Lana places a hand on the window. “What did you see the last time you were here?” 

“Me and my dad we here attending a gala at the Gotham Museum of Art that someone he was sucking up to at the time invited us to and the next night we, of course, had to go to Gotham Opera.” 

“They have an opera hall?” 

“Yeah,” Lex laughs. “It was built in 1918 using a generous donation from the Cobblepot family and used to be named after them.” 

“Used to?” 

“The Cobblepot family lost everything following a series of scandals so the city renamed it to avoid negative associations...it’s a beautiful building through.” 

“You think Kal-El will take us to see it?” 

“I don’t see why not, everything in Gotham worth seeing is in this general vicinity.” 

“What’s outside this ‘general vicinity?” Lana turns her head to look at him. 

“Slums mostly...then a few miles beyond that where things get more rural there are the various family mansions...and of course there’s Old Gotham but I don’t think he’d want us going down there.” 

“What’s Old Gotham?” 

“A section of the city sank during an earthquake and they just built new streets over the top of it, last time I was here all that lived down there were homeless people and criminals who were laying low.” 

“Then what did you go down there for?” Lana knits her brow. 

Lex just gives her an mildly amused smile. Before he can explain they hear a knock on the door. Brainiac enters without waiting for either of them to give him permission. 

“I’ve been commanded to take you two downstairs to eat.” 

“Where’s Kal-El?” Lex puts himself between Brainiac and Lana, which is something he always does that Lana doesn’t entirely understand. If Brainiac wanted to hurt her he would have plenty of time to do it when the two of them are alone together, which they often are. 

“Right now he’s speaking with his father but he’ll meet you downstairs in about fifteen minutes.” 

“Give me a minute to get dressed.” Lex says before hesitantly walking off to the bathroom. 

While he’s gone Brainiac loiters near the door, barely acknowledging Lana’s presence. She’s learned by now that he’s a machine, not a Kryptonian, but that just makes his seeming dislike of her even more confusing...why program a robot to prefer certain people over others? 

“I heard Kara Zor-El got a...a...” 

“A concubine?” He finishes her sentence of her. 

“Yes.” She smiles nervously. “I just wasn’t sure if that was true because I haven’t seen him yet...or...her?” 

“It’s a him.” He says flatly. “She thinks it’s for the best that he doesn’t leave her room for the time being because he’s a little...I believe ‘skittish’ was the word she used.” 

“Lex has been helping me with my Kryptonian.” She says, not wanting to lapse into silence. 

“Good, you need it.” 

That little jab makes Lana regret moving the conversation in that direction and she returns her attention to the window. She sees a stray dog running down the middle of the street and sighs. To her relief, Lex reemerges from the bathroom in his usual uniform of black dress slacks and a button down shirt, it’s the lavender one today. They take the elevator down to the lobby, the buildings where the Kryptonians are staying have electricity despite the fact that none of the others do. Lana’s figured out that Brainiac somehow controls the electricity but she has no idea exactly how. 

They go to the hotels ballroom which has been converted into a dining hall and sit at one of the tables at the head of the room (a privilege that they are afforded as member of Kal-El’s harem.) There’s a table on an elevated platform that is reserved for the higher ranking Kryptonian officials, the chair in the center of it is Jor-El’s. They are served more of the oatmeal-like food that Lana was given after she was first captured. 

“Is Kal-El talking to his father about our being able to look around the city?” Lex asks Brainiac. Brainiac stalls a moment, meaning that somewhere in the building another him is asking Jor-El if it’s ok to tell them, and then speaks. 

“Yes but Kal-El has requested that I not tell you what his father’s answer was because he would like to tell you himself.” 

Lana involuntarily smiles, Kal-El really can be sweet sometimes. They eat in silence after that. Lex seems oddly tense around Brainiac and Lana suspects that’s because something has happened between them when she wasn’t around but she won’t ask because she knows Lex would only lie to keep her from worrying. He does that a lot and thinks she doesn’t realize it. She doesn’t want to be mad about it because she knows he means well but on some level she is. Eventually Kal-El does join them, taking the seat between the two of them that they had left vacant for him. 

“Good news.” He smiles at Lana. “Father says that, as long as we’re accompanied by Brainiac, he doesn’t see any reason why we can’t tour the city later tonight.” 

“Thank you.” Lana does her best to seem pleasantly surprised and gives Kal-El a kiss 

“And, if it’s alright with both of you, I invited Kara to come along and bring her new concubine.” 

“I don’t mind.” Lana shakes her head before returning her attention to her food. 

“All the same to me.” Lex says neutrally. 

Lana tries to think of the most innocuous way possible of wording what she’s about to ask. 

“Where did she find...him?” 

“He was one of the vagrants they found living in the abandoned buildings on the edge of the city.” Kal-El says casually. “She was asked to inspect them before they were sent to the farm and I guess he caught her eye.” 

“Have you met him?” 

“No,” Kal-El shakes his head. “I suppose this evening will be a first for all of us.” 

After breakfast, Lex and Lana have their lessons while Kal-El sits in and listens. After that Kal-El goes off somewhere alone with Lex, assuring Lana that they’ll be meeting up again later that evening. She spends the remainder of the day alone in a suit of rooms different from the ones she’s been sharing with Lex and Kal-El. She assumes this is where she’ll be sleeping from now on. A selection of books has been brought up for her to read and she picks through them until she finds one she likes. 

She takes the copy of Emma and settles in a chair near the floor to ceiling window to read. At around noon it begins to snow again. It occurs to her that, had she not been kidnapped, she would be in a house without heat right now. She hopes that her aunt didn't’ stay alone after she was taken away. There are certainly no shortage of people in Smallville who’d have been willing to take her in. Feeling this line of thought leading her in the direction of home sickness, Lana abruptly cuts it off and tries to focus on her book but is not successful. 

Just then, her attention is caught by a Kryptonian ‘mass transport vehicle’ pulling up outside. It stops in the hotel courtyard and a small group of dirty, disheveled, sickly looking people are herded out of it. At the head of the group is a middle aged man with with slightly greying, strawberry blonde hair, he keeps his head up and his back very straight as he’s lead into the parking garage beside the hotel. By now Lana suspects that they’ve converted the parking garage into a makeshift prison so they have a place to hold people until they can ship them off to wherever the Kryptonian authorities have decided they’re needed. Lana comforts herself by noting that the outside of the structure has been boarded up, so at least the people inside won't be exposed to the elements, though that does little to make her feel less guilty. 

Eventually the snow stops and Lana is relieved because she knows that if it had continued Kal-El wouldn’t have allowed them to go out and she’s starting to feel very cooped up. She’s relieved to hear a knock on the door but then disappointed to find Brainiac behind it. 

“Kal-El says I’m to bring you down to the dining hall.” 

“Just a minute.” There’s nothing Lana really has to do before she goes down but she feels like making him wait so she goes into the bathroom and closes the door. Not know what else to do, she brushes her teeth and combs her hair, puts on a little make-up. When she feels like she’s inconvenienced him enough, she goes back out into the room to find him still standing in the doorway. 

“Shall we?” He says just a little sarcastically as he turns to let her pass. He follows behind her to the elevator, which she’s fairly certain he does just because he knows it makes her uncomfortable. They take the elevator ride in silence. When they get to the lobby, he steps out ahead of her, not wanting his superiors to see him walking behind her. 

Since it’s dinner, Kal-El won’t be sitting near her and Lex. There’s some sort of Kryptonian custom that says people have to be separated according to their status during the evening meal so he has to sit beside his father. She makes her way over to the table specifically reserved for concubines and is relieved to see Lex already sitting there. When she sits down he smiles and she smiles back. 

“What were you and Kal-El up to all after noon?” She asks. 

“Nothing important.” He says simply, which Lana assumes means that they spent the afternoon having sex (as she always does when he’s so vague.) Just as the food is beginning to be served, Kara-Zor El enters with what Lana assumes is her concubine trailing behind her. Lana is not proud of it but her first thought is that Kara has very odd taste. The man trailing behind her is not what Lana would call ugly but he’s certainly not what she would call handsome. 

For starters, he only comes up to Kara’s shoulder, making him only slightly taller than Lana. He’s clean shaven save for sideburns and his hair is a shade of orange-ish red that Lana would not have thought existed in nature. His nose is snub and his ears stick out just a little too far. If there’s one thing about him Lana would say is attractive, it’s his eyes, they’re a vivid shade of green and very bright and clear and they dart around the room with a sort of hungry urgency. There’s a lot behind those eyes. 

Lana and Lex stand, as they’ve been taught to, when Kara approaches the table. 

“Edward,” She says to the man at her side. “this is Lex Luthor and the young lady is Lana Lang. Lex, Lana, this is Edward Nygma.” 

“Charmed I’m sure.” The little red head says with a strange sort of brittle smile that Lana can’t interpret. 

“You’ll be dining with them.” Kara says, putting a hand on the back of his neck which makes him tense just slightly. “But I’ll be back for you as soon as the meal is over.” 

“Til then my queen.” He responds, brittle smile still in place. Kara gives him an inappropriately lingering kiss that leaves him blushing and hesitantly heads off for the table where Kal-El and Jor-El are seated. Edward gingerly takes his seat and immediately downs the glass of water beside his plate in just a few gulps then wides the back of his mouth with his hand. When he looks back up he seems a little disoriented, as though he’d forgotten he wasn’t alone at the table. 

“So...” Lex breaks the silence. “Edward Nygma....that’s not your real name, is it?” 

“Actually,” Edward smiles a far sharper, more aggressive smile than he had before. “I’ll have you know that it’s been my ‘real name’ for the past six years and, were background checks still possible, you’d be hard pressed to find any legal documents pertaining to me that contained any other name.” 

Lex seems at a loss for words (which is something Lana thought she’d never see) so Lana attempts to steer the conversation in what she hopes is a more comfortable direction.

"What did you used to do for a living?"

“My official title was Economic Consultant and Efficiency Expert.” He says after a long pause, as though considering rather or not he should tell her. 

“I’m sorry, I don’t know what that is.” Lana says, sounding naive even to her own ears. 

“It means,” Lex responds before Edward can. “That rich men without any business sense would pay him to do their thinking for them.” 

“Very good.” Edward says. “Though I suppose your father probably didn’t need anyone like me...at least not if what I’ve heard is true.” 

“Oh, the safest bet when it comes to rumors about my father is usually just to assume they’re true.” Lex smiles and, after hesitating a moment, Edward laughs and they both seem to relax just a little. Lana is profoundly relieved, she really didn’t want to have to deal with them openly disliking each other. 

“If you don’t mind my asking,” Lex goes on in a casual tone. “Who did you work for?” 

Edward hesitates. “Come on,” Lex presses just slightly. “It’s not like it matters now.” 

“My last contract was with Kane Chemicals.” 

“Ah, I met Phillip Kane once when my father was trying to buy Wayne Industries off of him shortly after Bruce disappeared. I didn’t much care for him.” 

“Well, if it’s any consolation, I’m fairly certain he’s dead now.” Edward says in a matter of fact way that strikes Lana as a little morbid. 

“Bruce Wayne or Philip Kane?” Lana asks. 

“Oh, Kane, Bruce Wayne ducked out of site again just after the Kryptonians landed.” 

“That is what he’s good at.” Lex says dryly and Edward laughs again and Lana feels left out because she’s not sure what Lex means by that. She doesn’t ask, though, because she doesn't want to look stupid. She notices that, as Edward talks, he keeps self consciously scratching the back of his neck where Kara had touched him. Every time a Brainiac passes them, his eyes intently follow it. He also keeps anxiously glancing over at Kara, Lana can tell he’s afraid of her but she’s not sure if it’s actually cause for concern (after all, she was afraid of Kal-El in the beginning.) 

“Where did they find you?” She asks him. 

“In an abandoned factory on the outskirts of the city.” 

“There are a lot of those.” 

“Indeed there are.” His tone becomes mildly irritated and it’s clear that he’s being deliberately ambiguous so Lana doesn't press. 

“What were you doing there?” 

“Mostly trying not to starve to death.” His discomfort becomes more evident and he tries to turn the focus away from himself. “And where are you from Lana Lang?” 

“Smallville, Kansas.” 

“Ah, the meteor capital of the world.” 

“Right.” Lana is pleasantly surprised that someone from as far away as Gotham has even heard of her home town. 

“You must have been...” He stares intently at her face for a few seconds. “Eight? When the last shower hit.” 

“It actually hit just a few days after my eigth birthday.” Lana smiles, it’s rare that she meets someone who doesn’t assume she’s younger than she actually is. 

“You interested in astrology?” Lex picks then to rejoin the conversation. 

“Among other things.” Edward replies, his eyes now trained on the Brainiac that’s standing at the front of the room behind Jor-El. There’s a brief, upward twitch of the corner of his mouth but it’s gone in less than a second. They eat in silence after that and Lana finds herself trying to figure out how old Edward is, he has the sort of boyish face that makes it difficult to tell. He looks like he could be younger than Lex but Lex being bald had at first made Lana assume that he was older than he actually was. Just as Lana’s beginning to wonder if it would be rude to just ask him how old he is, Brainiac approaches the table and informs them that he’s to take them back to their rooms to get dressed properly for going outside. The three of them follow him to the elevator and get inside. 

“Ya’ know,” Edward says to Brainiac. “I get very talkative when I’m playing chess.” 

“Do you.” Brainiac keeps his eyes on the closed doors and his expression pointedly blank. 

It’s clearly a continuation of an earlier conversation. Lana glances over at Lex to see if he has any idea what they’re talking about and he only shrugs.


	17. Edward Nygma (In the not very distant past.)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As requested (by, like, one person I think) I give you Edward and Kara's first night together. Sorry, no sex, that might be in the next chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took me so long to get this one out, I have a job now so I have a lot less time to work on this story. I'll try to finish the next chapter faster.

Edward Nigma finds himself in the unique position of not being able to decide rather he’s taken several steps forward or several steps back. He’s not dead...which means he’s doing far better than he thought he’d be at this point. He’s also not starving any more. Since they put him in this makeshift cell in this hotel parking garage, they've fed him a steady diet of plain white rice and water. It’s been about three days by his reckoning but that’s a rough estimate since he’s in the underground portion of the parking garage. 

Day after day of dim, yellow, synthetic light is starting to get to him. It doesn’t help that he’s trapped in a parking space sized cement box with chain link fence strung across the front of it and nothing across from it but a blank cement wall. The really, really frustrating thing is that he can think of a multitude of ways out of this. Unfortunately any escape plan he can come up with would require him to be at least a little bit faster than them at some point and that is physically impossible. Even if he managed to get outside he’d still be screwed. 

He knows that they plan to transport him somewhere eventually but they won't tell him anything about it. When he talks he may as well be a bleating goat for all the response they give him and he hates, hates, hates not being listened to. He occupies himself internally as best he can, lord knows the castle of his mind is a large enough play ground, but eventually he begins to feel starved for input. Edwards biggest problem has always been how easily he gets bored and how unbearable he finds it to be bored. If he’s not given problems to solve, his brain starts to eat itself. More days go by and he begins to wish he had a piece of chalk or anything to mark the walls with. Eventually he finds a little pebble that’s soft enough that it leaves a trail when he scrapes it on the wall. He covers the inside of his cell with equations. Some of it means something and some of it doesn’t, he just needs to keep his hands moving or he’s going to lose his mind. 

When they come to feed him and they ask what he’s doing, he’s half a mind to ignore them just like they’ve been ignoring him but then he thinks about what the consequences of that could be. He explains the what he’s currently doing and to his surprise they actually seem interested. Everyday a different guard comes to feed him (sometimes more than one guard) and asks what he’s doing. Despite the circumstance, he finds himself enjoying the attention. He’s further surprised when he runs out of wall space and one of the guards starts bringing him paper and crayons. Despite the condescension, he’s grateful. 

One day two guards come along with a blonde woman whose armor is more ornate than the others. Edward pretends not to notice as they linger outside his cell, he’s drawing schematics for a hologram projector that he’ll probably never get the chance to build. When he hears the door to his cell open, his stomach sinks but he doesn’t look up until he feels a hand on his shoulder. He has to resist the urge the shrink back...even if the circumstances were different, he still doesn’t like to be touched. 

“These are beautiful.” The blonde woman says, gesturing to the numbers and symbols on the walls. “What are they?” 

He takes a deep breath and begins to calmly explain each one to her, avoiding eye contact the whole time by keeping his eyes fixed on whichever one he’s talking about. When he gets to the Drake Equation he finds his voice hitching a little and for some reason can’t say anything beyond it’s name. 

“Drake Equation?” She prods after waiting a moment for him to continue. 

“It’s a..uh...” He swallows. “A probabilistic argument used to estimate the potential number of active civilizations in the Milky Way galaxy.” 

She laughs as though he’s said something very droll. 

“I doubt you’d have found us with that, we came from outside this galaxy.” She says, walking over to the equation and running a finger over part of it. It smears and Edward has to bit his tongue to keep from telling her not to touch it. He considers rather or not he should try explaining to her that the Drake Equation isn’t necessarily meant to ‘find’ alien civilizations but he doesn’t get the chance. 

“What’s your name?” She turns to him and, despite his best efforts, he wind sup looking into her eyes for a fraction of a second before he’s able to aver his gaze. They’re powder blue and deceptively gentle. 

“Edward Nygma.” He begin to extend his hand to her but then stops himself, remebering that he’s never seen any of the Kryptonians shake hands. Not that that bothers him, he’s always hated that social protocol demanded he touch other people’s bare hands. 

“I’m Captain Kara Zor-El.” Is all she says before exiting his cell. The next day, he hears a lot of commotion above and around him and realizes that the other prisoners are all being removed, taken away to somewhere else. He expects them to come for him as well but hours pass and they don’t. After a while he realizes that he’s being kept here and feels deeply conflicted. The part of him that had been terrified of where they might take him is relieved but the part of him that just wanted to get the hell out of this damned cement box is whaling in frustration. 

The Captain visits him daily, usually in what he thinks is the evening (though he wouldn’t bet any money on it.) At first she only stays a few minutes at a time but her visits gradually increase in length over time. He’s conflicted about this too, on one hand, he’s thrilled that someone is actually talking to him but on the other he’s not sure having her attention is a good thing. He finds her unsettlingly hard to read and she keeps touching him. The touches are small and light (putting a hand on his shoulder, brushing the back of his hand, etc.) but just frequent enough to keep him constantly on edge. She’s a beautiful woman but that’s beside the point, he does NOT like to be touched. It doesn't help that she seems to find his nervousness endearing. 

One evening she doesn't come, instead one of the guards comes...and unlocks his cell door...and tells edward to follow him. The command is so unexpected that it takes him a moment to process it. While he’s being lead across the street, he starts to wish that they’d restrained him somehow. He knows it’d be pointless to run but just following quietly behind his captor is humiliating. Plus, if he were restrained, he wouldn't have to work as hard to resist the urge to run. 

In the lobby of the hotel the first things he notices are the Brainiacs, the place is swarming with them. He want’s desperately to stay and observe their movements, it’s a machine and machines always follow detectable patterns, but he’s quickly ushered into the elevator. 

“Where exactly are we going?” He knows he won’t get an answer but he hates awkward silences so he keeps talking. “I assume it’s not the same place they took the others...wherever that is.” 

The guard doesn’t look at him but he can see the irritation in the set of his shoulders, he figures he may as well go for broke. 

“Do you know where that is?” When, as predicted, he gets no response he spreads his hands in a gesture of mock contrition. “Sorry, for all I know that’s privileged information...and then I can certainly understand why you wouldn’t know.” 

“Silence.” The guard growls. Edward decides he shouldn’t push his luck too far. He doesn’t know why they’re not killing him and he vaguely recalls being told something about gift horses. When they get to the top floor, the guard grabs him by the sleeve and pulls him out of the elevator just a little too roughly. He can’t help but smirk to himself at how easy it is to get under the aliens skin. 

He’s brought to a room at the far east corner of the top floor. The guard knocks on the door and a voice from inside says to enter. The guard just opens the door and shoves Edward inside. The room is lit only by a circular fireplace in it’s center, a couch is positioned on either side of it. An enormous bed is against the wall to his right and the other two walls are completely made of glass. Edward sees that the moon is full and tried to use that to calculate exactly how long he’d been in the parking garage. He hates not knowing that basic of a fact. 

“Good evening Edward.” The captain says from beside the fireplace where she’s standing. In place of her usual armor, she’s wearing a loose fitting white silk dress similar in design to toga. Seeing her like this is disorienting. 

“Good evening...Captain.” 

“Did they feed you?” 

“Not since noon...at least, I think that was noon.” He hopes that will prompt her to tell him what time it is but it doesn’t work. “Would you mind my asking why I’m here?” 

“I thought you’d be more comfortable if we talked here.” 

He wants to ask her why she thought he’d be more comfortable in HER room but thinks better of it. 

“Why don’t you come sit down?” She asks and he realizes with a little embarrassment that he’s still standing just inside the doorway. He walks further into the room, looking anxiously around him and feeling a little ridiculous for doing so. What is he expecting, an ambush? He takes a seat on the couch furthest from her. She stalks over and sits on the other end of the couch, seeming to sense his discomfort. 

“You know, Edward, Brainiac told me something...interesting about you.” 

He doesn’t say anything, only looks at her expectantly. 

“Apparently, there isn’t any official record of your existence beyond six years ago and even then it’s fairly sparse and vague.” 

Edward knows what she’s talking about, in his line of work it’s best that you leave as little of a trail as possible so six years back he erased himself from every existing digital data bank. Yes, he knows exactly what she means but he feigns confusion any way. He doesn’t know exactly why, it’s not like any of it matters now an he doubts she’d even care if he told her the truth but...well, he went to a lot of trouble to turn himself into a human enigma, he’s certainly not going to give the game away easily. In a way his self made mystery is all he has left. 

“Human beings are not exactly faultless record keepers.” 

Is all he says and he’s profoundly relieved when she buys it without further question. She nods and smiles, it dawns on him how very stupid these aliens think humans are. He almost sneers at her but catches himself remembering that the only reason he’s not still trapped in that cement box is because this woman enjoys his company...which is another thing that mystifies him. There are things about him that put people off and those things have always been particularly effective on females. 

“If you don’t mind my asking, how did you get to be so...” She seems to be searching for an appropriate word. “Knowledgable?” 

“Well...” He tries to think of a way to answer that won’t give her too many specific details. “Is everyone on Krypton equally intelligent?” 

“No.” 

“Well, it’s the same on Earth, you either have it or you don’t.” 

She laughs. 

“I meant more along the lines of ‘how were you educated?’ and ‘what did you used to do for a living?” She shifts a little closer to him in what she probably thinks is a subtle manner. “Kryptonians are all given the same educational opportunities but from what I understand on Earth the quality of education varies based on your resources...I think that’s very sad.” 

“Well I never had any resources other than what I could get for myself.” 

“So you didn’t come from a wealthy family like Lex Luthor?” 

He almost laughs at the question but then it hits him what name she said. 

“Lex Luthor?” 

“Yes...” She looks confused. “The Luthor’s are a wealthy family are they not?” 

“Oh yeah.” He laughs nervously. “I was just wondering why you specified that name.” 

“Oh.” She matches his laugh with a more relaxed on of her own. “My cousin acquired him about eight months ago to cement a political alliance between his father and my uncle.” 

She says it so casually that at first he doesn't even reach but then it sinks in. 

“Acquired?” He feels his eyes involuntarily widen. 

“As a consort.” She specifies just as casually. 

Edward realizes he’s gaping a quickly snaps his mouth shut. She edges a little closer then, too close, almost touching him. He can’t look at her...suddenly he finds himself fascinated by his own hands. 

“You have lovely coloring.” The words are a soft purr but he’s startled none the less. “There are no Kryptonians that have this.” 

Then to his horror she reaches up and runs a hand through his hair. He flinches at the feeling of he nails on his scalp. On a purely tactile level, it’s pleasant, but inside he’s screaming. He does his best to keep his expression neutral though, his last relationship (the second of the only two he’s had in his life) had ended over the girls inability to understand that she shouldn’t take his aversion to physical touch personally. Given what he’s seen these things do, he’s sure that the Captain will do something far worse than storm off to her mother’s if he offends her. 

“There are no red haired Kryptonians?” Is all he can think to say, even though that’s the only thing she could have possibly meant and he personally hates obvious questions. 

“Edward,” She says firmly, ignoring the question, “look at me.” 

It takes him a while but he does. There’s something intense and predatory in her gaze that makes him swallow nervously. When he sees that, realizes it’s for him, he’s suddenly not afraid or uncomfortable anymore...well, not JUST afraid and uncomfortable...also something else...something he can’t quite identify. Her hand slides down the side of his neck to the collar of the grey jumpsuit they’ve given him to wear, smoothing it down. 

“I’ll be honest with you.” She says, not breaking eye contact as her hand continues its journey down his chest. “I had you brought here because I have a proposition for you.” 

“Proposition?” He would be embarrassed at how small and unsteady his voice sounds but he’s finding it hard to focus, which is extremely rare for him. Her hand is on his knee now and the weight of it feels more like an anchor than the irritant it would normally be. 

“I’m sure you’ve noticed that the others who arrived with you have already been taken away.” 

“Indeed I have.” He swallows. 

“And did you wonder why you were still here?” She brings her other hand up behind his head and gently strokes the back of his neck. 

“Indeed I did.” He feels distinctly odd now, like something inside his head has disconnected, but for some reason he’s not as alarmed by it as he should be. She giggles and moves to straddle his lap and for a moment his whole body tenses, fight or flight response flaring in the back of his mind, but then she leans forward and wraps her arms around his shoulders and presses her forehead to his. Something about her devouring gaze firmly locked with his and how he can practically feel the latent strength in her limbs is intoxicating. She waits until his breathing evens back out before she speaks again. 

“You’re here because I want you here.” She whispers, mouth so close to his that he can feel her breath tickling his lips. “Because I like you.” 

“M....me?” Is all he can manage to gasp out. 

“Of course.” She smirks and pecks him on the lips, pulling back before he can even think of reciprocating. “Now, I’m not going to make you do anything. I just want to make you aware that you have two options. You can either go and join the others or you can remain here...in my service.” 

She draws out the word “service” in a way that makes it all too clear what she means, only she can’t possibly mean “that.” Women don’t ever mean “that” when they’re talking to him and despite the fact that he’s sure teenage him probably fantasized about this exact scenario more than once, in real life it’s just...overwhelming. Without really meaning to he starts to struggle and he’s surprised when she backs off instead of holding him down. She gets off of him but doesn’t retreat completely, opting instead to sit next to him, very close but not touching. He takes a few deep breaths in an attempt to clear his head while she waits patiently for him to speak. 

“You want me to stay here and...” 

“Attend to my needs.” She finishes his sentence for him. 

“Ah.” He stifles a nervous giggle and slides away from her just a little, it’s hard to think with someone in his personal space. “Did...did I create the impression that I’d been with a lot of women?” 

“Not at all.” She smiles and from anyone else he’d take that as an insult but nothing in her voice or manner suggests that’s how she means it. “In fact I’d prefer you hadn’t been with any other women but I suppose I’ll have to live with that.” 

She purrs the last few word and reaches up to run a hand through his hair. He flinches a little but manages not to pull away. Edward tries to weigh his options rationally. If he lets them take him away, he might be able to escape during transport (MIGHT) and make his way back to the EMF scrambler but then he’d only have to find a way back into this building, since he’s learned that the Kryptonian leader is here and the central hub of the “BRAINIAC” (as he’s learned it is called) is with him. If he remains here, he can observe the BRAINIAC and figure out exactly which of it’s many bodies is the central hub, he’ll also be able to learn more about it’s strengths and weaknesses, but eventually he will have to find a way to at least temporarily escape and find the EMF scrambler (or somehow make a new one) and being kept so close to the Captain (who is currently undoing the buttons on his jump suit) will make that more difficult. He also has to admit to himself that, should he fail to escape during transport, he won’t last long in whatever forced labor camp he’s sure they’ll bring him to...he’s simply not built for that sort of thing. He won’t be any good to anyone dead, now will he? And it’s not as though refusing her will somehow end the invasion...the cemeteries of Gotham are filled with men who stuck by their principles in the face of insurmountable odds...and it’s not as though Edward had had many principles to begin with. 

“I...” He begins to speak but is but is cut off by his own gasp when she pushes his jumpsuit off his shoulders and begins sucking at his collar bone. “I’ll...I’ll do whatever you want...Captain.” 

“Yes.” She hisses, her eyes locked on his, her mouth a hair's width from touching his. “Yes you will.”

**Author's Note:**

> I know this is one of the least original concepts imaginable but I couldn't stop thinking about it so I decided to take a crack at putting my own spin on it. If you leave me a comment, I will love you five-ever.


End file.
